by Susan Risley

Created on: March 11, 2008   Last Updated: March 19, 2008

Are you feeling like the process of electing a new president is really a farce? So many people say, "Why should I bother voting? My vote doesn't make any difference." Unfortunately, so many people feel this way that if we put them all together and made them vote, it COULD make a difference. But voting is a right, not a requirement.

Personally, I get tired of all the laundry that gets hung out to dry through the media and debates. What can we believe? Who can we believe? Why should we believe any of it? And the negative commercials that blare at us throughout our favorite T.V. shows for months before an election are enough to make me turn off the tube. But I enjoy watching my favorite shows. So instead of all the * slinging commercials, we should put the candidates who want to run our country to the test on their own reality show: The Amazing Survivor!

I've noticed that reality shows such as "The Amazing Race" and "Survivor" really bring out the true personalities in people. We see how competent, honest, and clever they can be. We can see how people manage stressful situations, how they problem solve and manipulate. We could see what each one of them is truly made of instead of how much money they can spend to destroy their opponents. The whole election would become interesting and even fun to watch.

We could give them challenges that would include world issues, decision making, and budgeting money. The producers could send them around the world to talk to other world leaders so we, the public, could see how well they interact with them. We could send one of them each week to Exile Island where they wouldn't be able to say one negative thing about any of their opponents. They could win rewards like an actual 8 hours of sleep. And every week the American public could call in and vote someone off. This could even lead to a better voter turnout.

I think a Survivor show for politicians would be a great way to get to know our candidates. Everything would be out in the open. There would be no need for them to rip each other apart. We'd see their true colors right there in our own living rooms. And everyone who bothered to call in and vote would know that their vote mattered.

Learn more about this author, Susan Risley.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.