But you know why it seems like it doesn't work? The old farts are putting us young people to shame. Some ridiculous proportion of old people (like 95%, seriously) vote in every election. And when the old farts all go vote, they can dictate what corrupt loser candidates get elected. And remember, these are the same people who are in love with Lawrence Welk!!!! We generally wouldn't trust our elders to run the remote control, but we trust them to choose our government because we don't care?

I'm not saying that all old people are fickle enough to vote for losers (well, maybe... ageism is the final frontier). I know if young people had put forth the effort in 2000 and 2004, we wouldn't be suffering through eight years of Bushit.

I am saying this: you should put your apathy behind you and go vote. Why? Because one simple truth remains: you can't bitch about anything in the government if you're not taking a minimal role to participate. And this is as minimal of a role as you can ever find. It'll take like ten minutes, won't cost you a dime, and maybe will put a positive light on the next couple years.

And if nothing changes and the government is still a pile of crap? Well, you only wasted ten minutes, which is as long as it would have taken to wrestle the remote control from grandpa during the Lawrence Welk Show. You'd wrestle with him to end the hour of polka party, but you won't stop by the poll to end years of crappy administration?

Wouldn't it be better to wrestle the government from his old wrinkled (voter) hands instead?

VOTE.

-Check out your county board of elections website to find your polling place.
-Remember your ID if your state is fascist like Ohio and requiring this.
-Be polite to the poll workers, but firm about any dispute.
-Be wary of time limits: Indiana has an old Jim Crow era time limit in the polls!
-Make your mark extremely carefully. Check your work. If you mess up, get a new ballot.
-Ask questions of the poll workers if there is ANYTHING you don't understand.
-Be willing to participate in a news interview leaving the poll, and be as opinionated as possible.

If nothing else, it's an investment in your legitimacy to complain!

(and it is way, way too early for me to write anything.)