" Define the difference between apathy and stupidity? "

" There is nothing worse than an uninformed voter, especially a young unsuspecting person. Politics are pure and simple power grabs engineered by the most desperate and calculating people. Uninformed voters are meat for the grinders. "

" Nothing like ‘minds of little and mouths of plenty’....This here little Lassie ought to spend a little time studying American History, American Anti-nuclear Movements, Modern International Relations, Modern era Middle East Geopolitics, The History of Islam, perhaps comparative Religions...until then we’ll help out here since we were once upon the same misguided ‘mental leash’: Firstly, our dependence on foreign oil has nothing to do with a lack of energy resources within our boarders, nor a lack of technology, it is your party Lassie over the last 35 years that has blocked our development of US reserves under a phony environmental pretext. Phony I say? Indeed, everyday USA drilling technology is used throughout the world by virtually ever oil producing country and company in highly sensitive environmental areas. We are twice as dependant on foreign oil because your party has completely shut down our nations domestic environmentally safe and clean nuclear power..while the rest of the world buys USA nuclear reactors and designs from GE and Westinghouse... ‘Moving on’.. Concerned about the War? Had your party while in power the last decade paid any attention to half a dozen al Qaeda attacks beginning with the World Trade Center attacks in 1993 and culminating with 9/11...little Lassie, your party over the corresponding time cut our military forces by 300,000... ‘Reinventing Government’ cutting combat readiness to less than 40%, from 80% gutting defense in Demo talk is Balanced Budget. Your party gutted our foreign intelligence agencies in both your last two Administrations....While we were being attacked on 9/11 the next day 9/12 your party ‘quietly’ ceased ‘parliamentarian practices’ delaying key National Security appointments that may have made a difference...’beating ones enemies requires one to know them’...your party didn’t attack al Qaeda.., nope instead they attack Microsoft!

"

" Well said Chrissy

Don't mind the usual suspects and their comments. Their exactly why its so important for fresh minds to get out and vote. "

" I think it is great that Chrissy is aware of the importance of voting at her young age. As she matures, her positions and understanding of the issues will sharpen -- we all learned at the heavy hand of experience. "

" I think voting like drinking should be put off until these children have had to deal with some of the pressures of adult life and then they may understand politics and the way it works just a little bit better. We all started out thinking one way when we were 18, but as you mature you begin to think more rationally and make better decisions based on knowlege and wisdom instead of immature dreams. "

" While your letter opens you up to responses like I've seen so far (perhaps not so undeserved), and provokes me somewhat in that young people will vote on bond issues I have to pay for while they are not fiscally impacted, I think it is a good sign that young people are getting involved and voting. Although many may feel that young voters are naive and easily swayed I cannot help but think that by starting their involvement this early they may become the most informed, understanding, and problem-solving oriented generation so far. At least that's my hope---the alternative is very bleak. So go out and vote, my only suggestion is that in addition to looking at how all the issues impact you (young people) try to also look at a wider view to see how they impact others (everyone). "

" I couldn't have said it better myself--people complain about the uninformed youth, but there are few of us who don't know what we're doing when we vote. We're the ones who inherit this country--not the older voters. Wouldn't it then follow that our vote is more important? The world is changing, and being the youth, we know more about this change than do older voters stuck in a generation where young people are seen as reflections of their parents and/or social status, and not as thinking minds. Why anyone would attack a young person's right to vote is beyond me... and this year, we will have our say. The party we vote for doesn’t matter—what matters is that we vote at all. I would rather a generation of young voters than a future where the youth have no say in the government. "

" Chrissy…so I gather you’re upset? You’re also idealistic and very naïve. I’ll say this much, you can write a pretty letter; I’m sure you will do well in school and life.
You have a lot of faith in your “generation” and the youth today to rally together and save humanity from themselves. Let’s just say that from a grown-up perspective, that faith is not shared. While you are studying and gathering signatures on your petitions, the rest of your “generation” is living up to their privileged, entitled reputation. You probably don’t have to look very far out your UCSB dorm window to see the truth about where the rest of the “Me” generation places their priorities; your campus being voted the #5 Party School in the country, they’re more interested in earning beads on Del Playa Drive than voting. UCSB being an acronym for “U Can Study Buzzed” Locally, back in Napa, you can see the local youth's “political zeal” for yourselves at DT Joes, Lamplighter, Henry’s, Compadres, etc…or better yet, have a look at the student body rally at Lake Berryessa on the weekends. Why do you think California REALLY moved it’s primary up to Feb? So the “droves of youth” wouldn’t miss spring break in Cancun. Upset you say? Before turning your disdain and anger at such global issues as climate change and foreign policy, you might look a little closer to home at that “youth voting machine” who will have a hard time “footing the bill” from the welfare line (incidentally paid for by adults…)
"

" Indoctrination is alive and flourishing in our school systems. All young adults are passionate, and enthusiastic. I say hurrah for that. When I was the writers age, I looked at all sides, questioned those in authority, this included the teachers, and made a decision based on my ability to think critically. Today's youth, and I certainly do not mean all of them, as I have seen example of many who are intelligent and can still think clearly, have been raised on T.V., and adults who walked the walk of the liberal thinker in the 60's and 70's, but who now have become as entrenched in their ideologies as any fascist I can think of in the past. Many of our youth have been indoctrinated by these self serving hypocrites to their own ideological youth. These adults have turned into those they railed against when they were these students age. But boy don't they sound good, and passionate. I can see why many of our youth are drawn to them. It allows them to be passionate enmasse. It allows them to feel they are all part of a group working towards something. It is too bad they have never learned to think clearly and question the tripe thay are being handed. It is too bad these adults have turned into what I feared when I was the writers age. These new indoctrinators may say different words, but their method is the same. It should scare any clear thinking person, to see how many of our youth so easily manipulated. "

" To "truth"-
As naive as you may find the "dorm room" student, perhaps you should rethink your own personal naivety. Your stereotype of youth, and specifically UCSB, is EXACTLY why the youth generation is starting to stand up for themselves. Not all of us are found at "DT Joes, Lamplighter, Henry’s, Compadres, et" or "more interested in earning beads on Del Playa Drive than voting". In fact, your derogatory description of UCSB is elitist and despicable. Tell me, if Chrissy wrote that she went to UC San Diego, would you have expressed the same demeaning sentiments about that school? Why base your impressions of the youth solely on Newsweek College Rankings, or Friday night observations of a handful of the youth in Napa? Instead of giving into stereotypes, why not embrace and welcome the youth who ARE trying to make a difference and make their voices heard? What have you got to loose, except "the student body rally at Lake Berryessa on the weekends"? "

" Hate to burst your bubble, Chrissy but you should have been around when the Vietnam War was going on; you would have seen some INTENSE political interest by young people. Enthusiasm is a great thing, but it needs to be driven by thought. Your Democrat Party is the one forcing you to participate in the bankrupt SS system. And the even more bankrupt Medicare system. You want change? Ain't going to happen to these programs as long as the Democrats have any say in the matter. And those troops overseas? You should be thanking them instead of critizing them. Thanks to their hard sacrifices, we have not had another domestic attack on the US since 9/11. Of course that is ancient history to your generation... "

" Bravo Pharper and Bravo Chrissy. And to Glenroys and the musikluvrs and the sandras who take pleasure in criticizing the very qualities that they espouse to value I leave you Barack Obama's words, "There is something happening. There's something happening when Americans who are young in age and in spirit, who've never participated in politics before, turn out in numbers we have never seen because they know in their hearts that this time must be different." "

" A.C.E.--Again, I couldn't have said it better myself. "

" Sandra nailed it! The school teachers, professors and administrators are mind numbed robots in lock step with unions and liberal democrats...and, they have our children under their control for more time than we do at home. "

" Chrissy, thank you for taking time out of your very busy college studies to write home. I was one of Chrissy's former teachers and I'm proud of your political involvement no matter what party affiliation... you are practicing a right that you well deserve. It is at this age that you search for meaning and ask questions and begin to really understand what politics are all about. Your opinions will change over time, but at least you have one. I can go on and on about the number of students that I had that didn't have an opinion on anything political, they didn't care... you obviously do. Don't let any of the petty criticism that you see here detour you, I know it won't...in fact it will add fuel to your fire. The college students at UCSB that are partying it up, probably go to the local JC or are spending daddy’s cash as they “hang out” in a college town. Getting into UCSD is very difficult, Chrissy took all AP and honors classes throughout high school to help get her into UCSB... a very hard worker. You are totally right on so many of your points, I applaud you. Our leaders are fighting an unjust war and our sons and daughters are going to pay for it...sometimes with their life. I'm a tax payer, a mom, a small business owner, a former teacher and one hopeful citizen if young people like Chrissy are leading our youth! This Mamma is for Obama… "

" Like the older voters are doing any better? Please. Baby boomers are locked down in a silly constant partisan extremism, and don't have a lot of room to cricitize young people for having their own agenda. Some criticize the educational system---and who was it that created that again??? And social security, was that voted in and refused to be dealt with by 20 year olds? I welcome their participation, once they get going they will figure it out. If I was sitting with $52 trillion sitting on top of my head in debt that I had no role in creating I would be pretty upset too. I hope these young people go after social security, and don't forget medicare while you are at it, which consists of the wealthiest segment of society have the younger pay their medical bills. Generational warfare? I say bring it on. "

" Hey be easy on the Teachers Union...don’t tell anyone but some of us are inactive teachers union members, indeed I noticed several posts against this bond by teachers who don’t wish to be known. Be sure of this, there are many educators who are moderate to conservative...but like in all government agencies ‘masquerading progressives’(career deadbeats) infiltrated all public employee unions, though not all empty suits, and now control the unions just like Stalin controlled the old USSR. When it comes to free speech that last place you’ll find it is on College Campuses across this land, unless your ‘free speech’ is about ruining the free enterprise system through more government programs...easy A that way, otherwise you’d better not mind repeating the course something I experienced more than once merely because the professor was a blathering loony-leftist idiot.
"

" Just because young people go out and vote doesn't mean things will get better. I discourage people to vote who have not followed any of what the candidates have been talking about. Too many people just go out and vote based on what they've heard or what they would like the physical appearance of the next president to be. "

" To Sickothis, Well I am not quite sure what you mean by quoting Barack, as I am a child of the 60's and turned out with others of my generation to let our views be known. Barack is showing his ignorance of history, or is just looking to gain the enthusiasm of ignorant young voters by acting as if this generation of young people is the first to turn out and let their feelings be known. I am also not sure what you mean by saying I criticize the qualities I expouse to value. I value the writers entusiasm, I just hope she has not been influenced by the indoctrination which goes on by many so-called educators, and instead has come to these conclusions using her own mind. I doubt this is the case,since she hit so many talking points of the robotic (Thanks, music lover for the imagery) left. And to Glenroy, I do not think all teachers are bad. I've been married to one for 28 years and think he is pretty darn special, so do his students. Students, whom he encourages to form their own opinions by presenting as many sides of the issues he is aware of. He does not teach them to think as he does, but to question all sources, weigh the facts, and decide each issue based on its merits. I think it is shameful that he seems to be the exception to the current rule. "

" It was Lyndon Johnson who reduced the voting age from 21 to 18. He must be quite warm in the darkest corner of hades for all he did. "

" Good write, Sandra. "

" Wow. I am seriously shocked about how immature and bigoted some of these comments are that are coming from "older" and "wiser" people. Like Chrissy, I too went to UCSB. I also got into Berkeley, Davis, and Irvine, but chose SB because of a certain program only they offer. And no, it's not in drinking. If you did more research into UCSB, you'd also realize it's in the top 2% of universities nationwide and producing nobel laureates at a steady pace.

Furthermore, to automatically label the youth's vote as naive is being completely simpleminded. I'm willing to bet you Truth that I have experienced just as much, if not more, in my short amount of years as you have. I've lived in poverty. I lost a parent due to a preventable disease before I was even old enough to drive. I've lived in another country. I was the first person in my entire family to graduate from a university. I've experienced all these things first-hand. And now you want to call me naive? I would love to get into a battle of wits with the condescending voices on here, but it's quite obvious that they all have come unprepared.

Lastly, if voting the "wiser" and "more experienced" way is what has lead us into the current situation we're in both at home and abroad, I'll proudly stay stupid and naive.

Chrissy, let's keep our head up and stand tall. It's because of people like you that I'm optimistic for the future of our country. Like Robert Kennedy said, “There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?” I don't call that being naive. I call that being inspired.

"

" Sandra...I’ve never in my life suggested all teachers are bad not even implied most teachers are bad..but there are many bad teachers. I admit the most influential teachers in my life, my wifes, are very liberal, but unlike these new progressives they are both capable to putting two sentences together and willing to listen to my half sentence in response... we end up agreeing to disagree...but we have the same objectives merely differing on paths. I’ve been fortunate enough to take a mid-career break from business ownership and teach for 5 years. It was financial ruin taking such a large cut but it was worth it and like so many mid-career teachers it was to pass on to, what was passed on to me. I’d say reading your posts and as a polysci major you have a very good geopolitical understanding...Lieberman is who your opinions remind of...and even through I’m a proud Republican considering the field and if he were on the ballot in the general election I’d have no problem voting for him the problem is who he runs with...and for those ‘blinder’ Democrats this ‘unjust’ war is a figment of your imagination, and despite my personal opposition to invading Iraq following closely the daily events and the remarkable progress of late, it could very well end up being a remarkable strategy for the long war, this is and will be our nations longest war.....strategy look it up sometime.
"

" Glenroy, I am sorry if you thought I meant that YOU thought all teachers were bad. Quite the contrary, I was clarifying that I did not think all teachers were bad, and that the quality teachers did not get the props they deserved, while the indoctrinators seemed to be awarded for teaching the right P.C. curriculim. I am not a polisci. major (did you mean you were one?), but married to a history teacher. I have gained a lot of in home schooling on history from him. I too like Lieberman, and wished he'd run as and independant. I was also against invading Iraq, but now that we have opened up the can of worms we need to see it through. Have you read, or seen "Charlie Wilson's War"? I fear Iraq could turn into another Afghanistan if we drop the ball as the democratic congress did back then. We need to take the lessons from history and not repeat the same mistakes. It could turn into an opportunity for change. I am forever hopeful. "

" The other day I stopped some high school kids on the sidewalk that were chanting Obama, and asked them what issues they supported that he stood for. They mentioned getting out of the war. I asked what else. They said ending global warming. I asked if they understood his voting record, which is really the best way to judge any candidate? They had no idea how he voted on anything. I asked if it mattered whether his voting record was Constitutional or not. They just laughed. It didn’t matter to them. These kids seemed fairly bright, but they aren’t learning the basics about government. History shows that government is usually the creator of the problems that it claims to want to fix, which is why it’s always expanding and always making the problems worse. By the way Obama’s own television commercial says that he will win the war and get our troops out of Iraq as soon as possible. What’s the difference between what he’s saying and what Bush is saying? What kind of change are the Democrats talking about? Someone help me out on this. "

" Wow! What an avalanche of ego, self-righteousness and rudeness on the part of our right-wingers here. You conservatives try to blame the Democrats, the unions, FDR, the teachers and young people for all the world's ills, but the last 7 years speak loud and clear - you own 'em! And if you think young people aren't able to see past your smoke and mirrors, they're too busy partying or naive to figure out what going on in this country, you are sadly mistaken. With or without you, they are going to invest their energy into this election and they will decide the next President. And Jim Clark, try to get your facts straight! The 26th Amendment to the Constitution was passed not by Lyndon Johnson but by the Congress, the states and the people of this nation. They felt that if you were young enough to go to war and die for your country, you were old enough to vote. It was during the Vietnam War, Richard Nixon supported that change and he was President at the time. Let's hope the young people are kinder to you in the future than you have been to them. "

" Wow, those are some comments from people that clearly have nothing better to do than complain about democrats and those crazy, lethargic, susceptible young people.... There are good and bad from every generation and stereotypes do nothing to help move us forward. The reason the issues Chrissy mentions have become a mantra is because people like her have demanded that our leaders address these things. And I guarantee you there are plenty of folks from older generations who could not tell you a single policy issue that their chosen candidate has done well on, while I know a great many people of the younger generation who could do so at the drop of a hat on any given subject. "

" "Wow, those are some comments from people that clearly have nothing better to do than complain..." & "Wow! What an avalanche of ego, self-righteousness and rudeness on the part of our right-wingers here.", both great examples of attacking the messenger, instead of the message. This type of reaction is what thinking people find very offensive. It seems that if you have nothing intelligent to say then it has become acceptable to shoot down the oppostion by attacking their character. Personally, in my posts, I stated that I thought there were many thinking young people. I know quite a few, and so does my husband who is a teacher. But, he also has found a large amount who have been indoctrinated by others, as they are young, naive, and impressionable. I have too. I do not blame the young adults for this, but those who abuse their power by self agrandizment of their own personal opinions. I think most of the responses have been polite to the writer, and have addressed her argument, not the quality of her character. I am sure the quality of her character is just fine, especially since she is concerned enough to enter into the process of presenting an opinion. I think these two poster need to look to themselves before thay are so free to critisize the characters of others. I just happen to disagree with some of what Chrissy has said, and was struck by how much parroting she did of democratic talking points. Hopefully she will take the criticism of her letter as an opportunity to listen to the other side with an open mind and do some critical thinking on her stance of these issues. "

" Sure... like there is a gross shortage of smug Republican parrots on NVR. How nice to remind me about parrots, eh? So, how's about a parrot instant-replay of the "Tigger Socks Rebellion" critique of parents enforcing their constitutional right to have their kids wear clothes acceptable to the parents to a public school they help fund with their taxes? Perhaps we could hear some more parroting of how great it is to be stuck in Iraq with $13 billon a month being flushed down a rathole? Or maybe some parroting of "Al Gore is a liar", "Bill/Hillary Clinton is EVIL", or maybe that old chestnut about the "Liberal Media"? There is no shortage of Republican parrots hanging out and squawking at NVR. However, even parrots can be taught new material, so I am expecting to hear some new parrot favorites soon. Something like "Barrack Obama is Muslim, Black/Not Black, has a funny first/middle/last name"? The last thing Republican-enablers should ever do is accuse anybody else of being a parrot!!! ~Ruff "

" Since I brought up the "parroting" phrase, just want to clarify that I am a democrat. "