Obviously there is a huge buzz around now with the presidential election coming up in just a few days. In my lifetime, this has been the most important election I have ever seen and because of it, there is much being said about it all over the world. It seems that everyone is glued to the TV screen and checking online articles about the candidates, the polls and early voter results. Living abroad for so many years, I have always found that the majority of people never fully understand the political system in the United States as it is very complex.

I do not want to underscore how important the presidential election is, but there are three branches of Government in the USA; the Executive, Judicial and Legislative. Yes, the president has power because he is able to pick cabinet members, veto bills, nominate Supreme Court judges, is the commander in chief of the military and more. Yet, unlike many Governments, there are many checks and balances and therefore the senate and House of Representatives race is just as important. With luck, there might be a democratic president in the White House come January, but if the senate and house are republican, there could be lots of partisan politics.

Moreover, it is important to remember that each of the fifty states govern themselves. Obviously the federal government is important, but it is important to realize that there are many issues the federal government cannot touch as states have the power to create their own laws and manage their own education systems.

It is being said that voter turn out will be at an all time high in the USA and that is a wonderful thing to hear. Americans in general are not at all happy with the way republicans have been running the country for the past eight years and their voices will be heard with their votes. Young voter turn out is also at an all time high which is an even more wonderful statistic because the normal apathy that exists in young voters is being eradicated. Hopefully, the same trend will continue in Anguilla in the 2010 election with a high voter turn out among all citizens and young people. With this year’s election in the US, hopefully the younger voters will see that when a society really comes together, change can be affected. All eyes are on this year’s election and from now until 2010, I urge all young people to pay close attention to Anguilla’s constitutional reform and ensuing election.

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