Presidential Debate and Views From a Concerned Citizen and Amateur Political Scientist

Presidential Debates....my how incredibly boring they are. Before you correct me and say that I am an ignorant slob not worthy to participate in representative democracy, let explain me myself and the current political environment we are currently surrounded by.
I never used to be so cynical, I remember the days even before I could vote I was a diehard political junky, constantly soaking up every bit of televised debate or analyst's telecast. I loved the spirit of it all, but I think I lost my flavor for the political life after the 2004 election.
Now, when I was a young, idealistic high school aged teenager, I gravitated towards Senator Kerry because I believed wholeheartedly in his policies and I had recently become increasingly upset and depressed at the Iraq War and its massive failures. I'll admit, in hindsight, Senator Kerry really wasn't the best candidate of that year, he just happened to win all the primaries, that was his only qualification for running against the incumbent President Bush. He was a smart man, had many great ideas but he just wasn't as enthusiastic and he could come off as cold and callous at times.
The candidate I supported in 2004 failed to clinch the ultimate victory and I became disheartened and downtrodden, seriously fearing that my draft number would be called in the next four years.
But as time progressed and the war continued to drag on without any news of a draft my fears shifted to a more immediate fear. The economy.
The economy slowly began to collapse and with all of the scandals involving Republican officials, the time seemed right in 2006 for there to be a revolution of sorts, a complete erasing of Republicans from the majority in Congress and establishing a new power base, one based on the opposite side of the spectrum of the Bush Doctrine. I voted, most of my friends and colleagues voted as well and there was a surprising and radical change. The Democrats won control of both the House and Senate with that oily, snake, motherfucker Joe Liebermann deciding to work for both sides of the ticket as an Independent.
We all expected change, we all thought that there would be a drastic shift in policies and finally we might be able to change the direction of our country and curtail the mismanaged policies of the Bush administration. Everyone who voted Democrat on that date in November was fucking wrong.
Nothing drastic changed, the Democrats never showed that they had the balls to stand up to the President and his lackeys and stop the spending for the war. Time after time they voted and approved more and more money for the war in Iraq as well as wasting money on projects that were completely pointless. I don't mean to rant but as one can see, as time wears on and the side that you supported and expected great things from fails on all fronts you become apathetic towards government and politics and see nothing worth liking.
That's how I feel about the presidential election coming up in less than two months. Yes, people are toting this as the most historical election since the election of 1860 when Lincoln won the office, or the election of 1930, but I don't know, I'm still not convinced.
In all honesty, I mildly supported McCain in the beginning of 2007 but as time wore on he began to resemble everything he used to stand against. I respect the man, but he's old as fuck.
Obama, now, in 2004 when he gave that speech at the convention, man, that was some moving shit and everyone that night was wondering why the hell that guy wasn't running for president but we all knew that in the near future he would definitely take his chances for the highest office in the land. His campaign has been, in my opinion, very remarkable, I'm not necessarily saying I support the man, but his ability to inspire young people like myself to change the world and to be optimistic and have hope is nothing short of a miracle. But, as I decipher the man's policies, I feel as if he's missing something, you can't necessarily run a government on feelings and talk, you actually have to know what you're doing. Now I believe Obama is an extremely intelligent and capable man, I just think he needs to show it more and really and I mean really put forth his plans and policies so that average, blue collar Americans can understand him and relate to his ideas.
More or less, this young middle class American is not convinced by either candidate yet. Will I vote? Hell yes, but for whom? That's a question I'll have to answer very soon, seeing as how voting will take place in a few months.
All that I ask of Americans is that they really listen to each candidate, do research on the topics they discuss and form an opinion, get involved. Don't blindly support one candidate or the other just because that's what everyone else is doing or your constantly voting party loyalty, be unique, be intelligent. Americans need to decipher the truths from the lies and seriously stop thinking Barack Hussein Obama is a card carrying member of Al-Quaeda, the dude's from Chicago motherfucker and he's a Christian and that brings up another point, why the shit does it matter what religion you are if you are running for president? Shouldn't the most qualified candidate have a chance to win no matter what his religion or race may be?
So finally I'll end this rant with some optimistic news from a proven pessimist. America can be fixed, it can be corrected, but don't just leave it up to one man in a bright and shiny office to make those decisions, you hold the power, you as an American have the power to shape this country and choose the path it takes, so get out there and be somebody!

Thursday Night Insanity

To my disappointment I was informed I made a complete ass out of myself last night. I usually try to maintain some level of respect among my peers but last night, I suppose, was the tipping point.
Once again a boring night in Athens, Ohio ended up with me consuming far too much alcohol and wasting far too much money. I made several horrible mistakes and their consequences will become more apparent to me in the future, sort of like the French Revolution. Anyway, I believe I verbally abused some poor pedestrian who pleaded with me to quit throwing bottles into the street, which, any average human would use their rational brain and decide to quit. I unfortunately told the man and these are the words the spectators told me I uttered, "lick my asshole." My what a beautiful vocabulary I possess.
Because of this embarassing experience I've spent most of the day in my house and room, deep in thought, feeling sick to my stomach for treating a fellow citizen in this way. The drinking has gotten out of hand and I believe the real problem exists not just in my own mind and body but it exists in this environment of bullshit college memories. Everyone I've met attests to the significance of your four years in college, stating, "they're the best four years of your life, so many memories," maybe this is true. I have met some great people, had some pretty interesting times but I'm confused because how can most of these people be forming memories of their college experience if they're drunk half the time.
I've decided to believe that the real experiences in this great adventure called life are still waiting to be had and that college is just a stopping point for the greater periods in our tragically short lives. Forget keggers, bar-hopping and one night only shows, give me travel, children and making a significant difference in the world.

A Growing Problem in Rural Ohio

As I sit in my room, glancing over notes from my classes, I can't help but feel compelled to write about a growing problem in this state. Currently I attend a university for higher learning in Southeastern Ohio and being a student from another part of the state it's quite a culture shock to be here.
I've been attending college in this area for three years now and most of the time I've experienced some very stimulating and exciting times but there's a dark underbelly in this town I now I call home. Heroin.
Recently, heroin has had a resurgence in this part of the country and specifically in the town of Athens, Ohio. My roommate informed me this evening that his friends had their house broken into numerous times, losing several items, including some computers and a bike. The fact that they had their house broken into about three times makes me wonder if they know how to use a lock but more importantly it's a statement on the desperation seething throughout this town, the desperation to acquire wealth to pay for an unending addiction to heroin. My roommate said that apparently one of them awoke in the early morning to a man looking in through their window into the living room. Police were called, a big scene was made, and then it was made very clear by the police why their house had been targeted numerous times by theives; heroin.
I'm concerned as a student and a citizen of this small town in Appalachian Ohio, not for my safety, but for our society at large. I've never been one to ever support the war on drugs, which most of the time is used to target minorities and lower income areas in America, but you can't help but feel as if the growing dependence on drugs is a symbol of our turbulent times.
The ability to escape reality is what these drugs offer, the ability to ease the mind from daily struggles, particularly the housing crisis and the growing unemployment across the country. Ohio, as some may know, is one of the hardest hit states in the Union by growing unemployment and foreclosure. My home city of Dayton, particularly, a few years ago had the highest amount of foreclosures on houses. This is the world we live in now, as a young American, we inherit the soil, the land, the views and perspectives of earlier generations but we most certainly and unequivocably inherit their problems and failures. We must rise up now, together as Americans, no longer letting ourselves succumb to apathy and depression, declaring, "there's nothing we can do," that's bullshit, wake yourselves up and start making changes immediately. Start at the local level and work your way to the top of the heap.
As Americans, we can't sit idly by and let our brothers and sisters suffer and die because of the growing burdens and problems in our nation, we must be one, together.

A Short Break From College

I've spent four or five days at my parents house, mostly drinking, playing Nintendo