As Nov. 6 gets closer and closer the presidential election of 2012 could not be more important.

The United States is still, whether you agree or not, in a serious recession and around 8 percent of the population is unemployed.

It does not matter whether you are Republican, Democrat or even an independent — on Nov. 6 you need to vote.

In a world where in many countries people do not get a say in who leads their government, do not you feel a responsibility to your country to put your 2 cents into who our president is.

Over the last couple of weeks I have been talking with people at my job and to my family and friends about the election.

I try to stress how important it is to vote but to many it does not matter whether I vote or not, my vote will not even count.

That infuriates me.

You are an American citizen.

For most of you, you did not have to work to get into this country and then fight to become a citizen through hard work and perseverance like so many immigrants in our country.

For the vast majority, your freedom was just handed to you by being born in this country.

Millions of our men and women give up their lives and go to a country thousands of miles away to fight and die for you so that you can keep your freedom and for what?

So that the one day out of every four years where you can actually make a difference, you cannot even drive to a polling station and check a box.

Another thing I have heard people say about the election is that our votes do not count the only thing that counts is the electoral votes.

True, the Electoral College is a huge part in how the president is elected. But in the majority of cases Electoral College votes are cast based on the outcome of the popular vote.

The combination of the popular vote and the Electoral College is what decides who our president will be. So what if there is a middle man between you and the election.

In the long run, your vote still counts and you still have a responsibility to your country to cast a vote.

Most people do not serve in the military and think it is very patriotic to support them, and do not get me wrong it is.

But how can you not serve and then just throw away one of your most basic rights that you have as an American.

Voting is an easy way for you to have some say in how this government runs, and if you just throw away that opportunity because you do not like our governmental system, then leave.

The United States is one of, if not, the freest countries in the world.

Our forefathers fought and died to build this amazing country we call home.

They created this government and the way we vote, and if you decide not to vote just because you do not agree with it I do not understand how you can call yourself an American.

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