Screw You, Mom and Dad.

So unless you've been living under a rock you know that the Dems got their asses handed to them last Tuesday, nowhere more than here in New Hampshire. And I'm pissed--not so much with the outcome, because in a way I was expecting that, but I'm really pissed that my generation is going to have to clean up this almighty shitstorm that our parents left for us.

Our parents' generation was way too busy snorting coke and making money off Reaganomics and yelling about derivatives on their giant-ass cellphones to realize that they were screwing stuff up for the rest of us. Basically, way too much Charlie Sheen in "Money Never Sleeps" and not nearly enough Martin Sheen from "The West Wing." I know, I just blew your mind.

After our parents were done laying waste to the eighties, they occupied themselves analyzing the jizz stains on Monica Lewinsky's dress. And then they were busy worrying about weapons of mass destruction, and then they were busy screaming about socialism. And nobody noticed that actual, important shit was getting really fucked up.

I love voting. I've worked on political campaigns and always turn out to meet candidates, and I still think there's something pretty awesome about the way our system is supposed to work. But here's the thing. It's broken. All anyone cares about is getting reelected, and so no one does anything daring or interesting or remotely ballsy. There was a time when government did things like build the Hoover Dam, and establish Yellowstone National Park, or, I don't know, GO TO THE MOON. There was a time when government did cool stuff just because it was good for humanity. That, unfortunately, is not the time we live in.

Change is not going to come from the government. Not anymore. Don't stop voting--we've got to keep trying, anyway--but realize that nothing's going to change with a new batch of old guys in the Senate, or even one seemingly pretty cool guy in the Oval Office. Our generation has got to throw our weight elsewhere. If we want to affect change, we've got to do it without these clowns in Washington. Write some letters for Amnesty International. Volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club. Get involved at your local soup kitchen, or homeless shelter, or animal shelter, or battered women's shelter. Find something you care about. Take care of your community, take care of each other, and do something special, heroic or ballsy--the government sure as hell isn't going to.

P.S. My parents are kind of awesome, as parents go. So don't take the title personally. I know you creep my blog.