Take Your Kids to the Polls

One reporter thought that this survey boils down to a "fine way to know what the parents are thinking." That's true in part, but kids have their own thoughts and ideas. Ask 900 adults across the country what they're most worried about and I'd bet global warming wouldn't top the list. Below I've listed just a few of the messages students have for the new president. For the most part, I've left their spelling and grammatical errors intact, so that they remain the unfiltered words of children. The messages range from funny to heartbreaking; many of them are just plain wise. To paraphrase the Psalm, out of the mouths of babes comes strength…and we need these babes to grow up to be good voters.

• "Good luck you're going to need it."
• "Put yourself in the average citizen's shoes and then decide which way you vote on an issue."
• "Please don't pull the troops out. If you do, the terrorists will attack again and again."
• "First make our country better and only then you can make the world good."
• "Don't ever pick a fight with other countries and don't just go to a country and try and beat them up because its not fair to be a bully to the less fortunate."
• "Congratulations! I hope you work on the war in Iraq mostly and the gas prices. My mom and I are struggling with gas prices so if you could tweak that a little that would be AWSOME! Thanks!"
• "Don't doubt the power of our pollution to the earth because one day it will all add up and it won't be funny."
• "Tell us the truth."
• "I hop that you can help are erath (our earth, ed.) and try to stop the badness because there has been a lot of killing neer my house and that makes me feel fritend (frightened, ed.)."
• "I want you to do a good job. If you don't then I'll protest. have a good day."
• "Can we get out from school earlier for vacation?"