By Coleman Armes
Staff Writer

As I sat down and watched what I could of the Republican presidential candidates’ debate tonight before I had to get started on my homework I realized something very important.

Many of this year’s seniors and juniors will be able to vote in the 2012 presidential election, and I know only a very few who even know the actual differences between Republicans and Democrats. It’s our chance to have a say in how our government is run; we shouldn’t just vote just to say we voted. We should vote because we stand for what our chosen candidate stands for.

So I encourage you, if you don’t really know about the candidates, to start watching debates and keeping up with the election campaigns so you can see which candidate’s positions you actually agree with. Don’t get your parents or your friend’s view but form your own. As we go out on our own and start making a living for ourselves, we will be doing things like paying taxes out of our own pockets and political issues will start to affect us more directly.

So if you agree and do want to start seeing what the candidates have to offer start with searching the internet and going to places like YouTube to search debates. Watch them yourself. You will be glad you did.