In most elementary schools across the country, students will take a class called “history.”  This class, aside from its obvious emphasis on the founding of America, will focus on the U.S. government, and more specifically, the role the President plays in relation to the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Most everyone has heard the popular Schoolhouse Rock song “I’m Just a Bill,” which presents in a sardonically ironic tone the seemingly fluid process of creating laws.

How sweet, right?  In my head I can picture it: elementary school children, flipping through a thick history textbook, scanning the lists of well dressed American presidents and congressmen, and in their heads, identifying these men and women with the pinnacle of success. Most elementary school history classes paint the famous politicians of America’s past out to be the quintessential representation of moral soundness and pure intelligence, crafting perfectly fair and reasonable laws and enacting them just as easily.

From a young age, we are taught that only the most respectable men and women can occupy these positions, and subsequently we idolize these individuals. Well, ignorance certainly is bliss.

It is no secret that Americans, at least those far from their elementary school days, are becoming more and more disenchanted by the political system. The fact that about 30 percent of Wisconsin’s population opted out of the general election last year testifies to a widespread sentiment of skepticism and indifference. Any Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor will tell you, the fist step to recovery is admitting that there is a problem.

Vigilant citizenry is certainly a democratic good, and critical citizens serve to hold representatives accountable. Over the past century, however, disenchantment has evolved into an overwhelming sense of alienation and fundamental confusion.

Henrik Serup Christensen, an Academy of Finland Postdoctoral Researcher, has found that “the increase in negative attitudes towards the political authorities has been tied to the drop in conventional political activities such as voting and party membership,” and can develop into “excessive skepticism when democratic oversight turns into undue stigmatization of authorities, preventive action into impotent silence, and reasoned judgment into repression of any deviation from the ruling orthodoxy.”

You hear it all the time, those quick and snide remarks heard under the breath of friends, and whether you choose to ignore them is simply a matter of choice. Comments like “Your mom is a Democrat and your dad is a Republican, haven’t you told them they might as well stay home, because they cancel each other out anyway?” and “I hate politicians, they are all corrupt.” Quips like “Who cares about primary elections?” and “They just want to take away my rights.” Attitudes like these do a disservice to our country.

David Foster Wallace wrote, “If you are bored and disgusted by politics and don’t bother to vote, you are in effect voting for the entrenched Establishments of the two major parties, who please rest assured are not dumb, and who are keenly aware that it is in their interests to keep you disgusted and bored and cynical.” To ease into a comfortable disinterest toward the function of our country is to allow the unqualified to maintain their positions. In doing so, you effectively perpetuate the things that angered you in the first place.

My point is this: do not allow yourself to think that you are not substantially more qualified to make decisions for your county than any active member of congress. To think that way is to buy into the political masquerade, and to subconsciously chastise yourself for thoughts of action.

There are numerous members of Congress who believe that the world was created in seven literal days.

Anthony Weiner, a former U.S. Representative, sexted graphic images of himself to numerous women.

Michele Bachmann has said, “Carbon dioxide is portrayed as harmful. But there isn’t even one study that can be produced that shows that carbon dioxide is a harmful gas.” In 2011 she said that Hurricane Irene is a message from God to politicians.

Joe Biden is on record saying “You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent … I’m not joking.”

After the FBI stormed a hotel suite where he was smoking crack with a girlfriend-turned-informant, former Washington D.C. Mayor Marion Barry said, “Bitch set me up.”

It’s no coincidence that one of the best business weekends for New York City strip clubs is the annual United Nations meeting.

We can do better than this, right?

Grant Hattenhauer ([email protected]) is a freshman majoring in biology.