Presidential Elections

This is the first presidential election I have been eligible to vote in. I like to think of myself as fairly educated in political matters at all times (daughter of lawyers) and I do my best to encourage my friends to learn a little about the people who run our country. I have never paid quite as close attention to a presidential election until this year because either I couldn't vote myself, or I still sat in a high chair at dinner. As the campaign began and Colorado became an important swing state, I started learning more and more about our country and the people that live in it.
To begin with, I need to address my peers. Dear other college students, did you really just ask me the difference between a Democrat and a Republican? Did you miss that day of US history where we learned about the electoral college? And please, don't tell me you're just voting like your daddy does. Who let you into a University? We are important. Our votes count just as must as anyone else's and yet here you are, refusing to register to vote even though other politically sound college students are EVERYWHERE on campus, coming into your classes and harassing you in the halls, just to get you to register. "I forgot," or "I didn't have time," is a bunch of bullshit. You had the chance, and you chose not to. I know, you said you just don't know enough about the candidates to vote and so you just never registered. NO EXCUSE YOUNG LADY. You know how to use the internet (I know you do because you uploaded 210 pictures from last weekend's "Blackout" football game). I am shocked by the lack of interest in this presidential election I have witnessed among my peers. In 4 years, when you're starting your career or buying a house or trying to get health insurance - you're going to wish you had Googled it.
Secondly, a problem I have with these presidential elections because of the animosity it evokes in US citizens. Good old George Washington warned us not to develop political parties for it will divide our nation. And you know what? Dear Georgie was right. Democrats and Republicans are coming out of the woodwork and suddenly standing up for values they had never previously mentioned caring/knowing about. But here, we go back point #1, being uneducated; if you don't know what you're talking about, shut up. You don't know the first thing about what it means to be a republican, or what Romney's first name is, stop. Stop arguing with your peers and judging someone who thinks differently then you. You know what, that's what I think bugs me the most. Just because your friend is voting for someone you're not voting for doesn't mean you get to push your opinions on them. As a matter of fact, that's what bugs me about political parties in general, on social issues anyway, is that I don't want you to feel as though you can tell me what to do or how to think (2 points - Which political party I'm a member of?).
I have more to say, but BioPsych class is over (mom, I was paying attention, I swear) and I've gotta run!

XO
K