A young Republican activist’s final plea before election day

The upcoming 2012 presidential election is the most important of our generation.  In the past four years under the direction of our current president, the United States has become a morass of economic volatility and disappointment.  In 2008, President Obama was an unknown quantity, an idea, a man with a reputation not yet established; today, we can begin to judge him on his body of work, and he is clearly inept at leading this country. The consequences of his poor decision-making and ineffective policies have nearly crippled this country and led us deeper into recession. On November 6, we have the opportunity to decide whether we want to continue down this path of disappointment or make a change.

This election is especially important for us young people of this country as the outcome will have a significant effect on the rest of our lives. As a powerful voting force, we must choose to participate fully in the democratic process by letting our voices be heard.  American youths have been particularly hard hit during the last four years, with recent unemployment rates rising in October of 2012 to 12.0% for citizens aged 19-29 years old.  Perhaps even more alarming, over half of recent college graduates will find themselves unemployed or underemployed upon completion of their degree. To add insult to injury, the average student’s debt is at all-time high of $26,500 (http://www.ticas.org/) and tuition costs continue to escalate to historic levels. These trends will only continue to worsen if we don’t take a stand and demand a change; we cannot sit back and allow our lives and the lives of our children be afflicted by another four years of incompetent government.

As a junior in college and a young Republican activist who has spent the last few months campaigning for Governor Romney on colleges across America. I have experienced and witnessed firsthand the fear that’s building in the hearts of college students. We have been made to believe that our college educations will offer us greater opportunities for success upon graduation.  Yet, with the current administration in office, finding a job—never mind a career—after graduation seems but a farfetched dream.  At a time when one third of America’s youth have had to resort to living with their parents for lack of successful employment, it is time to demand independence.  The Republican Party wants to empower young people to join the workforce, not divest them of their future.  The Democratic Party wants to continue down the same path of devastation that it has for the last four years. Please, do not underestimate the impact that eight years of botched governance can have on the future of this nation.

This is a call to action for the young people of this country.  In retrospect, the 2008 election cycle amounted to little more than a political American Idol—a popularity contest with the young and sexy contestant capturing the hearts and hopes of America. The youth of this nation were among Obama’s most enthusiastic supporters and our votes made a difference in that election. Now, it is time to support the candidate who has more than just a catchy tune—we need substance. We need a president with the skills and experience to truly turn this country around—and that man is Mitt Romney. It is clear that the Republican Party has suffered from a public relations crisis and its brand may not be the cool or “in” thing. Voting for Mitt Romney may not seem like the popular choice, but it is the right choice.  During his time in the private sector, he turned failing companies into successful businesses; he has the ability to turn the current economy around as our nation’s next president.  Our time is now and our votes are the powerful way in which we fulfill our duty as American citizens. It is time for the youth of America to stand up and make a decision about their leadership that is based on facts, reputation, and common sense, not on popularity or empty promises. In 2008, Obama sold our generation a bag of fool’s gold and now we have the opportunity to prove to our country that we are smarter than that—we won’t be fooled again. On November 6, 2012, vote Mitt Romney—together, we can be the difference we want to see in our country.

Josh Nass is a conservative talk radio host who frequently appears on HuffPost Live as well as MTV, NPR and Fox News.