There are just 49 days left until the voting American people choose the better of two evils—or so it seems.

The power of democracy is a scary thing when it is considered and examined in its full American splendor. Let’s take a closer look…

The government of our nation allows people—older than 18 in the U.S.—the power to determine who their elected leaders will be. This means that when an American individual steps up to a polling booth and draws the curtain shut, he or she momentarily has control over the future government of the U.S. Granted, the power is shared by all voting citizens, but still that voter is determining the future of our nation by pushing buttons.

In return, the politicians push our buttons so that we will vote for them. Most Americans are raised with a political regiment inside the family or close-knit community. Our politics are virtually inbred. We’re raised to trust one set of candidates and our individual politics are basically chosen based on the current status of that trust.

When we’re young we listen to our parent(s) talk politics and we’re left with an impression of one party in a white cowboy hat and another in the Clint Black version.

In teenage years, most of us rebel against the system and choose to follow exactly the opposite of what we observed as kids despite what we actually believe. This is good because it teaches us to formulate our own opinions.

Eventually as we get older, we either return to our parent(s) point of view, or we vote for the candidate which will benefit us most.

So, the American system of democracy is basically based on button pushing? The politicians push our buttons through their actions making us like them or hate them, and we push their button—during an election year—based on our feelings toward them.

What a system. Is it any small wonder that we got as far as we did? The problem with this system is that many Americans are discontent with all the politicians. Shakespeare’s infamous line, “Kill all the lawyers” best describes American infuriation with politics. At the very least, most have reservations about both President George Bush and Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton.

What do we do about this problem? How can we throw the election out? Well in reality, there isn’t a way to throw out both candidates. America is stuck with either Clinton or Bush to the near end of the Twentieth Century. One of these two politicians will have to suffice to lead this country out of economic darkness and into the Brave New World our country must soon realize.

It is becoming increasingly unlikely that either of these two men will be an Abraham Lincoln, which is exactly what this country needs. America, above all else, needs a leader. It needs a man, or better yet a woman, who can truly jump-start the American dream.

The most discouraging thing about present American politics is that a country once led by legendary statesmen has seemingly fallen into the hands of quibbling politicians.

If only, we had listed to Washington.