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	<title>My Vote Counts</title>
	<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org</link>
	<description></description>
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		<title>Is Greed Good?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In the 1987 classic, Wall Street, Michael Douglas makes the controversial claim, &#8220;Greed is good!&#8221; When you first hear those words they sound almost contradictory, &#8220;greed is good?&#8221; you might think, &#8220;that&#8217;s absurd! In our culture that&#8217;s almost as crazy as saying that bad is good!&#8221; However, this speech actually has a good grounding in [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/is-greed-good.html</link>
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		<title>United States Election Glossary pt 10</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. Just like with watching sports, you would not understand nfl if you don’t talk the talk. This is part ten of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/united-states-election-glossary-pt-10.html</link>
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		<title>Defending Your Right to Vote</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Everybody works to preserve and grow their rights, including their right to vote for their leaders and the rules of their society. Some people enlist in the military, while some other people go into activism on the local stage. No matter how you choose to do so, you should always work to defend rights as [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/defending-your-right-to-vote.html</link>
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		<title>Why an Education Can Benefit You</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Getting an education can prepare you not only for a career, but also to have a more rich and active life. You can benefit greatly from pursing a degree program, whether it is a certificate program, associate degree, bachelor degree or higher. One advantage of getting an education is the well-rounded nature that it will [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/why-an-education-can-benefit-you.html</link>
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		<title>The Spread of Democracy</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Muffet via Flickr Democracy is not just an American idea. Democracy has become one of the biggest forms of government around the world. That means that people all around the world are beginning to enjoy the rights that many Americans take for granted, such as voting. Most places consider Democracy a welcomed change [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/the-spread-of-democracy.html</link>
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		<title>United States Election Glossary pt 9</title>
		<description><![CDATA[United States Election Glossary pt 9 Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part nine of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know. Senate &#8211; The senate is a part [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/united-states-election-glossary-pt-9.html</link>
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		<title>United States Election Glossary pt 8</title>
		<description><![CDATA[United States Election Glossary pt 8 Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part eight of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know. Primary Election &#8211; This is an election [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/united-states-election-glossary-pt-8.html</link>
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		<title>United States Election Glossary pt 7</title>
		<description><![CDATA[United States Election Glossary pt 7 Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part seven of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know. Plurality &#8211; The plurality of the votes [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/united-states-election-glossary-pt-7.html</link>
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		<title>United States Election Glossary pt 6</title>
		<description><![CDATA[United States Election Glossary pt 6 Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part six of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know. Matching Funds &#8211; This refers to public [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/united-states-election-glossary-pt-6.html</link>
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		<title>United States Election Glossary pt 5</title>
		<description><![CDATA[United States Election Glossary pt 5 Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part five of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know. Exit Poll &#8211; This is an informal [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/united-states-election-glossary-pt-5.html</link>
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		<title>United States Election Glossary pt 4</title>
		<description><![CDATA[United States Election Glossary pt 4 Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part four of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know. Delegate &#8211; This is someone who has [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/united-states-election-glossary-pt-4.html</link>
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		<title>United States Election Glossary pt 3</title>
		<description><![CDATA[United States Election Glossary pt 3 Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part three of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know. Congress &#8211; This is a shortened way [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/united-states-election-glossary-pt-3.html</link>
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		<title>United States Election Glossary pt 2</title>
		<description><![CDATA[United States Election Glossary pt 2 Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part two of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know. Butterfly Ballot &#8211; This is a paper [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/united-states-election-glossary-pt-2.html</link>
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		<title>Registering to Vote</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Registering to vote is one of the most important things you can do. The right to vote without fear of harassment, reprisal, or coercion is one of the signs of a strong democratic government. Registering to vote is not hard, and many people mark their 18thbirthday—which also happens to be how old you must be [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/registering-to-vote.html</link>
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		<title>United States Election Glossary pt 1</title>
		<description><![CDATA[United States Election Glossary pt 1 Part of knowing how to participate in a United States election is to have a thorough understanding of the language and lingo. This is part one of the United States election glossary, including the more prevalent terms that you need to know. Absentee Ballot &#8211; This is a paper [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/united-states-election-glossary-pt-1.html</link>
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		<title>Candidates Running Together and The Electoral College</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Candidates Running Together The candidate for the presidency and the candidate for the vice presidency run together for each of the parties in the election. In the November general election, the presidential candidate and the vice presidential candidate will run together on a single ticket. All of the voters across the nation are charged with [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/candidates-running-together-and-the-electoral-college.html</link>
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		<title>How the President is Selected in the United States</title>
		<description><![CDATA[How the President is Selected in the United States It all begins with the constitution. The basic processes behind selecting the President for the United States is completely spelled out within the pages of the United States Constitution, though there have been modifications by way of the 12th amendment, the 22nd amendment and the 23rd [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/how-the-president-is-selected-in-the-united-states.html</link>
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		<title>An Overview of the Voting Rights Act of 1965</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a momentous part of United States history in that it outlawed the discriminatory voting practices that had been responsible for the exclusion of African Americans from voting in the United States. A Verbatim Statement of the Act The act specifically prohibits all U.S. states from “…imposing an voting [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/an-overview-of-the-voting-rights-act-of-1965.html</link>
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		<title>An Overview of E-Voting</title>
		<description><![CDATA[How much easier would it be to log on to your own personal computer, click a few buttons and cast your Constitutional right to vote in any federal election? Voting via the Internet is not too far away from being a reality. E-voting is the electronic means of placing a vote and the electronic measures [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/an-overview-of-e-voting.html</link>
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		<title>Voting American Style</title>
		<description><![CDATA[American democracy has been so successful that it has come to the point most of the population takes voting for granted.  The reality is it has not been long since certain ethnic groups and  women were not allowed to vote.  Yet voting is one of the fundamental actions that developed our democracy. The beginnings of [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/voting-american-style.html</link>
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		<title>Censorship and Academic Freedom</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Censorship is the intentional curbing of ideas in speech and writing before they are expressed.  Notice the word before. The idea is  denied before even being put to words. Our rights of freedom of speech insure no government official can prevent anything being said or written. Once something is expressed, you are accountable for it. [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/censorship-and-academic-freedom.html</link>
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		<title>There is a Lobbyist in the House</title>
		<description><![CDATA[A lobbyist is a person who studies legislation and actively works to bring about passage or defeat of a bill.  Lobbyist have been around for quite some time. Your grandpa or grandma could have been a lobbyist.  In the past, Congress published quarterly reports on lobbying activities.  Unfortunately, the public did not read them or [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/there-is-a-lobbyist-in-the-house.html</link>
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		<title>Political socialization</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Socialization is the process where an individual acquires attitudes, values, and behaviors of a social position, and learns the attitudes, values, and behaviors of all other social positions in a culture.  Families for better or for worse are the first to socialize one.  Unless, one intentionally makes an effort to see the world through another’s  [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/political-socialization.html</link>
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		<title>The Long and Short of Voting Ballots</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Our honored tradition of voting in secret has not always been. For a hundred years there was no secret ballot. In some states people voted orally and someone tabulated it.    Other locations used colored ballots provided by the parties. One party had one color and the other party had another color.  Everyone knew what party [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/the-long-and-short-of-voting-ballots.html</link>
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		<title>Voting Rights Act</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Seven Civil Rights Acts over a hundred year period was not enough to stop groups from intentionally denying minorities and women the right to vote.  Even legislating offenses as a federal crime did not stop organized efforts to prevent voting .  The laws were good, but the process on enacting the law was slow.  This [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/voting-rights-act.html</link>
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		<title>Civil Rights Act</title>
		<description><![CDATA[There is a myth in our cultural consciousness  that states in  the 1960’s civil rights began.  This phenomena is attributed to Martin Luther King, Jr. and his movement.  Though the man and the movement was an important turning point in our political history, King followed a long line of activists.  There were many legislative acts [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/civil-rights-act.html</link>
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		<title>Voting Qualifications</title>
		<description><![CDATA[There are rules.  In the past, voting rules discriminated against groups such minorities, the disabled,  and women.  Discriminating against these groups prevented the balance of power from changing.  No  say. No power. Now voting is one area where rules are less than in the past.  Most of the laws instead of exclusion, now protect the [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/voting-qualifications.html</link>
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		<title>Why our Opinions Matter</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Everyone has heard some adage about opinions and rear ends. Yes, we all have opinions. In America we’re entitled to our opinions and hopefully these align with our belief system that can contribute to our society and well being of those around us. This is exactly why our opinions matter – we can make a [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/why-our-opinions-matter.html</link>
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		<title>A History of Debate</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Turn on the television or flip open a newspaper and it’s hard to imagine a political atmosphere without the entrenched bias of the two-party system. Indeed, the United States of America was founded on debate. The Federalists and the Anti-Federalists fought hard for and against the ratification of the Constitution, respectively. In doing so, they [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/a-history-of-debate.html</link>
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		<title>Talk it Out</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In the United States Senate, there are always people trying to get things moving, and others trying to slow them down. It&#8217;s the nature of open debate. There are various tactics employed to forward an agenda in the Senate, but one of the more interesting, and certainly one of the more visible is the filibuster. [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/talk-it-out.html</link>
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		<title>Vote Local</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Red, white, and blue come out every summer to accompany the hotdogs and fireworks of the Fourth of July. They wave on the front-porch flags of Memorial Day and accompany many car bumpers down the road every day. But, the colors of the United States seem to be most visible every four years in the [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/vote-local.html</link>
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		<title>Protest Music</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Music is intrinsically bound in emotion. It would have no power, no beauty, and no relevance if it were not able to strike a chord, so to speak, with its audience. Effective music is that music that stirs people&#8217;s feelings for better or for worse. It can pick them up or pull them down, excite [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/protest-music.html</link>
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		<title>Further Contribution</title>
		<description><![CDATA[When a person feels strongly about a political candidate, often it does not feel like enough to simply vote for them. A person may want to get out and help, perhaps When a person feels strongly about a political candidate, often it does not feel like enough to simply vote for them. A person may [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/further-contribution.html</link>
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		<title>A Self-checking System</title>
		<description><![CDATA[In an enormous country like the United States it&#8217;s easy to think of the government with a sense of disconnect. You are just one person, and though you do have a say, it can seem like an impossibly small tool with which to fix a massive and complex machine like the federal government. It can [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/a-self-checking-system.html</link>
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		<title>Appreciating Your Vote</title>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s easy to take it for granted when you head down to your local polling place to vote in November. For many of Americans, that is simply how it has always been. We may make it there, we may not, depending on how busy we are and how strongly we feel about any issue or [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/appreciating-your-vote.html</link>
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		<title>Political Parties and You</title>
		<description><![CDATA[One of the most valuable rights of being a citizen in the United States of America is the right to vote. The focus of the American government, historically, is to ensure that power stems from the people. The most obvious way that right is extended is the power to vote and participate in the political [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/political-parties-and-you.html</link>
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		<title>Voting For The Right Person</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia It&#8217;s not enough to vote these days. People think that because they take time out of their day to cast a vote for a candidate that it makes them absolved from having to make an informed decision. They think that voting is enough. It would be nice if that were the case [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/voting-for-the-right-person.html</link>
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		<title>Planning to Vote</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia For many people, voting is a valued right that many plan on taking advantage of on election days.However for some election day comes all too fast. With poll times throughout the day, even the busiest people may not have enough time, or make enough time, to vote on election day. Alternatively, others [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/planning-to-vote.html</link>
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		<title>Appropriate Christmas Gifts in the Current Economic Climate</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Ridgeline156 via Flickr As the holiday season approaches in post-credit crunch 2010, those who are responsible for the buying of Christmas gifts for their family may find themselves faced with a fresh dilemma; what is the appropriate level of spending on gift giving in the current economic climate and what sort of gifts [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/appropriate-christmas-gifts-in-the-current-economic-climate.html</link>
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		<title>Going Beyond Voting</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia Every vote counts. Voting is one important right that citizens have and should not be taken for granted. However, how can one become more involved in politics? How can one become more involved in issues and characters amongst the local, national, and international scene aside from one&#8217;s support at the polls? These [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/going-beyond-voting.html</link>
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		<title>Voting for more School Reform?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[“Our children, and our country, need and deserve the best.” Secretary Arne Duncan comments after the release of the Program for International Student Assessment 2009 results, which compare and contrast average 15 year old students around the world in achievement. American students are average to below average in reading, science, and math compared to other [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/voting-for-more-school-reform.html</link>
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		<title>Every Vote Counts</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia Every vote counts. It is something that is much more than a saying or modern piece of wisdom, contrary to some beliefs by critics. Nationally some fear that every vote doesn&#8217;t count. After all, how could one vote count in millions of citizens in the United States? One answer to this is [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/every-vote-counts.html</link>
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		<title>Positive Changes in the Economy?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Is it safe to say that there have been positive changes within the economy lately? Driving down the street there are certainly less and less businesses emptied, many even filling into the once empty businesses locations. There seems to be fewer houses run down and emptied out from vacancy, with signs claiming bank ownership. There [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/positive-changes-in-the-economy.html</link>
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		<title>Worried About a Friend</title>
		<description><![CDATA[So a friend of mine is getting ready for Christmas and started talking about how she will be able to buy the children the gifts she wants to get them once her next payment comes in. I was confused about what she meant and she was vague for a few minutes. I finally asked again [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/worried-about-a-friend.html</link>
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		<title>Can Dreams Become Reality?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Immigration and its reform have been an issue that has faced the United States for much time. Obviously, our nation has expanded due to the original immigration of our forefathers and families. Rules and regulations now curtail free immigration, for the protection of many. A problem that many youth are running into is that their [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/can-dreams-become-reality.html</link>
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		<title>Comedians for Political Involvement: How Jon Stewart May Help Mid-Term Elections</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Getty Images via @daylife Getting a strong turnout for mid-term elections is very difficult, at least when you compare it the figures to those seen at Presidential elections. Various politicians, including current and past presidents, have made statements, sponsored campaigns, or otherwise tried to encourage people to voteâ€”all to little or no avail. [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/comedians-for-political-involvement-how-jon-stewart-may-help-mid-term-elections.html</link>
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		<title>Joe Miller Takes Sides with Anti-Gay Marriage Groups</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Getty Images via @daylife Among the hot-seat issues in politics for 2010 is the question of gay marriage. While some states are pushing to allow gay marriage, others are actively seeking to make state constitution changes that would ban same-sex marriageâ€”or even pushing for a federal ban. Among those who has taken a [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/joe-miller-takes-sides-with-anti-gay-marriage-groups.html</link>
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		<title>The African-American Vote Becomes Increasingly Important</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia In the 2008 presidential election, African-American voters proved who significant their voice truly is. With a turnout percent that finally equaled that of their Caucasian counterparts, the black community showed that they can tip the scales significantly. The result since 2008 has been that politicians on both sides of the fence have [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/the-african-american-vote-becomes-increasingly-important.html</link>
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		<title>Can Bankruptcy Really Impact Politics?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia Many people already know that there are a lot of positive and negative aspects to filing bankruptcy. The problem is that not many people really take the time to do research before making their decision to file their bankruptcy case. For example, think about how bankruptcy would sound to voters if you [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/can-bankruptcy-really-impact-politics.html</link>
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		<title>3 MORE Things that Should Make You Want to Vote</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Getty Images via @daylife Voting is a very important part of the American process, and it&#8217;s one of the reasons why this nation&#8217;s political system has been so resilient through difficult times such as war, economic slumps, and so forth. However, importance within that process isn&#8217;t the only reason why voting is important. [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/3-more-things-that-should-make-you-want-to-vote.html</link>
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		<title>The Native American Question</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia Native Americans have a strange position in the country of their origin. When the white settlers came to North America, as any studious high schooler knows, it is a myth to say that this was an unspoiled, abandoned and virginal land. Unspoiled it may have been, but abandoned it definitely was not. [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/the-native-american-question.html</link>
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		<title>3 Things that Should Motivate You to Vote</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia As if being a part of the democratic process wasn&#8217;t enough to motivate you to get to the polls, we&#8217;ve compiled a list of additional reasons why voting and voting whenever you can is important. The Economy Is Still in Bad Shape There are plenty of different stances on how the economy [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/3-things-that-should-motivate-you-to-vote.html</link>
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		<title>Statements from Cuomo’s Father Launch a 2010 Counter-Campaign</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia Sometimes politics runs in the family. After all, a background where you&#8217;re exposed to politics from an early age gives increased motivation, idealogical background, and exposure that you wouldn&#8217;t have otherwise. However, in certain cases having parents in politics can be a drawback rather than a benefit. Such is the case with [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/statements-from-cuomos-father-launch-a-2010-counter-campaign.html</link>
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		<title>Voting for a Name Change:  The Rhode Island Issue</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Getty Images via @daylife The idea of voting for &#8220;change&#8221; has been a popular theme in politics over recent years, but one change you may not have thought of is actually altering the name of your state. The state considering this action? Rhode Island. More importantly, however, is what they&#8217;re officially changing it [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/voting-for-a-name-change-the-rhode-island-issue.html</link>
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		<title>Connecticut Makes a Ruling on &#8220;Wrestling Voters&#8221;</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia The laws on voting, what is considered to be the foundation of the democratic process, have been fairly clear. They have been further extended over the years to include all genders, minorities, and other groups who have official U.S. citizenship. Fighting for the right to vote has been a strong and important [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/connecticut-makes-a-ruling-on-wrestling-voters.html</link>
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		<title>An Unusual Campaign Tour Stop</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia When we think of locations to campaign, we usually think of major buildings like large libraries, the Capital building, or stadiums. However, three Democrats in Chicago made an unusual stop during their campaign tour. The destination of choice? Manny&#8217;s Deli. The three candidates who did this were Alexi Giannoulias, who is running [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/an-unusual-campaign-tour-stop.html</link>
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		<title>Why Voting Matters in Monocolor States</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Getty Images via @daylife The electoral system of ballots for federal votes, most notably the vote for President of the Untied States, is one that may or may not be the best possible method. It has certain strengths in its simplicity and practice, but there are also various disadvantages. One of these disadvantages [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/why-voting-matters-in-monocolor-states.html</link>
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		<title>What Is a &#8220;Meg Moment&#8221;?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Getty Images via @daylife If you&#8217;ve been paying attention to recent voting politics, you may have run into the term &#8220;Meg moment.&#8221; This is especially true if you reside in the state of California. So, what exactly is a &#8220;Meg moment,&#8221; and where did the term originate? The term is based on Meg [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/what-is-a-meg-moment.html</link>
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		<title>Voter Turnouts by Demographic</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia Different locations, elections, and issues will get different results from groups across the board. Men and women, people of various political backgrounds, those with different beliefs, and those from different cultural all respond to different campaign styles and issues. However, it is certain that there are many groups who are under-represented when [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/voter-turnouts-by-demographic.html</link>
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		<title>Tea Party Making Waves in This Year&#8217;s Election Season</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia What Is the Tea Party? If you haven&#8217;t been watching the news, then you may have missed the many political protests organized by the Tea Party, a movement that has been used to promote change in the government. The name refers to the Boston Tea Party, when American colonists demonstrated their disagreement [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/tea-party-making-waves-in-this-years-election-season-2.html</link>
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		<title>Hispanic-Americans:  Voting to Gain Representation</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia The Ellis Island inscription reads, &#8220;Give me your tired, your poor / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.&#8221; Despite whatever irony may be present in this because of current laws, the truth of the matter is that ours is a country of immigrants. The &#8220;melting pot&#8221; of North America has a [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/hispanic-americans-voting-to-gain-representation.html</link>
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		<title>Voting for Issues, Not Candidates</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia There are many people who vote according to the party they align with, and oftentimes this party was selected simply because the parents of the person in question favored that party. However, a new paradigm is arriving which prompts people to vote more for the issues than the candidates. In fact, there [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/voting-for-issues-not-candidates.html</link>
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		<title>Voters Protected in Middle-Term Elections</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia Fourteen different states or U.S. territories have reached an agreement or received an official judgment from the Justice Department prompting them to accept tens of thousands of overseas votes in this year&#8217;s mid-term election. While not all of these states were actively breaking the federal law in question, a history of abuse [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/voters-protected-in-middle-term-elections.html</link>
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		<title>Voter Registration Fraud Sees a Resurgence as a Mainstream Issue</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia It&#8217;s been a while since political news talked about voter fraud. There was the scandal with ACORN, of course, but that wasn&#8217;t actually people submitting invalid votesâ€”it was simply a group who received government funding registering people who didn&#8217;t exist (and would subsequently never make it to the polls) in order to [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/voter-registration-fraud-sees-a-resurgence-as-a-mainstream-issue.html</link>
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		<title>Fighting Child Obesity with the Child Nutrition Legislation</title>
		<description><![CDATA[If you&#8217;re a parent, you may be concerned, like many parents across the country, about the rise in children obesity. More and more children are being diagnosed with type II diabetes, which is preventable. The First Lady, Michelle Obama, is working to combat this issue with her &#8220;Let&#8217;s Move!&#8221; campaign which would work to encourage [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/fighting-child-obesity-with-the-child-nutrition-legislation.html</link>
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		<title>Senate Approves Money to Aid Schools</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by Dan Patterson via Flickr In August 2010, Senate voted for a measure to give school districts more money â€” $26 million to be precise. When it comes for more money for schools, it&#8217;s hard to say no, especially since the purpose is to prevent the needs for layoffs. The 57 democratic senators voted [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/senate-approves-money-to-aid-schools.html</link>
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		<title>Will the Democrats Win out with the 2010 Elections?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Back in 2008, the Democrats won big. President Obama was elected and the Democrats won majority seats in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. People were looking for a change and felt that putting Democrats in office would be the right way to go. In the last two years, not much has changed. [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/will-the-democrats-win-out-with-the-2010-elections.html</link>
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		<title>The Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia Women&#8217;s suffrage has been talked about a lot; maybe because it happened less than a century ago, but when was it that citizens of any race could vote, regardless of color or being a former slave? This came with the 15th Amendment that was passed on February 3, 1870. This amendment states [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/the-fifteenth-amendment-to-the-u-s-constitution.html</link>
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		<title>Women&#8217;s Suffrage</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The term &#8220;Women&#8217;s Suffrage&#8221; means giving the right to women to vote as well as run for office. Finland was the first country to grant full suffrage to women, which was in 1906, though New Zealand allowed all of its citizens to vote in 1893 (it took till 1939 for women to be able to [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/womens-suffrage.html</link>
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		<title>Mr. Fenty the Underdog for Mayor Elections in Washington DC</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Adrian Fenty, the youngest mayor to ever hold the office of mayor in Washington D.C. (winning at age 35) is facing an uphill battle to win the primaries this election season. Because the city is heavily liberal, whoever wins the primaries for the Democratic ticket will most likely when the race in the end. This [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/mr-fenty-the-underdog-for-mayor-elections-in-washington-dc.html</link>
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		<title>Murkowski&#8217;s Write-in Campaign in Alaska: Smart or Misguided?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia In a surprise result from the primaries in Alaska, favored candidate for a Senate seat, Lisa Murkowski did not win. Instead, Joe Miller, who was backed by Tea Party activists, beat out Murkowski. The hope with Murkowski was that with her seniority, she would be able to be chairwoman for the Energy [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/murkowskis-write-in-campaign-in-alaska-smart-or-misguided.html</link>
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		<title>Stem Cell Research Will Continue for the Time Being</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Stem cell research has been widely controversial since its creation in 1998. Some online college degrees also offer to research on this specific field. The reason is that it takes a fertilized human egg cell (embryo) and uses it to create any cell needed. In the process, though, this egg is destroyed — a cell [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/stem-cell-research-will-continue-for-the-time-being.html</link>
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		<title>TV Ads Big with Upcoming Elections</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Election season is in full swing with election day less than two months away. Every candidate is vying for your vote, and whether you think it does or not, your vote makes a difference. If you&#8217;re a regular TV watcher, you may be bombarded with messages from both parties (depending on the state you live [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/tv-ads-big-with-upcoming-elections.html</link>
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		<title>Should the Wealthy Receive Tax Breaks?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[President Barack Obama and other Democratic leaders have proposed that the federal tax breaks that have been given to all (and that expire this year) should be adjusted so that only individuals who make $200,000 a year and couples who make $250,000 a year or lower should continue to receive the breaks. This makes sense [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/should-the-wealthy-receive-tax-breaks.html</link>
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		<title>Tea Party Movement Grows as Election Nears</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The Tea Party, which is a group that believes the government has too much control in our lives and too much power, began to really make headway in 2009 with protests of the economic stimulus package. The group is largely Republicans, but a much more conservative branch that wants to get rid of anyone in [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/tea-party-movement-grows-as-election-nears.html</link>
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		<title>NY Voters Disappointed on Eve of Primaries</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia New York&#8217;s state&#8217;s primaries were held Tuesday, September 14, 2010. But on the eve of the Primaries, many voters were less than enthusiastic about voting. After years of voting and seeing no change, many felt like their votes weren&#8217;t doing anything and that the candidates were all talk and no action. One [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/ny-voters-disappointed-on-eve-of-primaries.html</link>
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		<title>Race for Massachusetts Governor Heats Up</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The Primaries for this year&#8217;s Massachusetts governor will be almost pointless because all four candidates are running for different parties. This year the candidates are the incumbent Deval Patrick, Democrat; Charlie Baker, Republican; Tim Cahill, Independent; and Jill Stein, Green-Rainbow Party. Even though the Primaries are set, the elections for November are heating up. It&#8217;s [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/race-for-massachusetts-governor-heats-up.html</link>
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		<title>Tea Party Making Waves in This Year&#8217;s Election Season</title>
		<description><![CDATA[If you haven&#8217;t been watching the news, then you may have missed the many political protests organized by the Tea Party, a movement that has been used to promote change in the government. The name refers to the Boston Tea Party, when American colonists demonstrated their disagreement with the British Government over issues such as [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/tea-party-making-waves-in-this-years-election-season.html</link>
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		<title>How Swing Voters Affect Elections</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Have you ever thought about how swing voters can affect the outcome of an election? For some areas, there are so many voters of one party or another that diminish the effect of swing voters, such as states that are deeply red or deeply blue, but for many states, a large percentage of the voters [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/how-swing-voters-affect-elections.html</link>
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		<title>Christine O&#8217;Donnell Wins Primaries</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image by andrijbulba via Flickr Another victory for the Tea Party, with Christine O&#8217;Donnell who won the Primary elections in Delaware on September 14, means more loss hope for the Republican Party. O&#8217;Donnell won over Michael Castle for U.S. Senate for the Republican party. The margin was fairly close with O&#8217;Donnell getting 53 percent of [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/christine-odonnell-wins-primaries.html</link>
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		<title>Gary Bests Fenty in Democrat Primaries</title>
		<description><![CDATA[A tough race for Washington&#8217;s Mayor Primaries. Incumbent Adrian Fenty lost to Vincent Gray, the chairman of Washington&#8217;s city council. As of Wednesday morning, September 15, with 90 percent of the precincts report, 53 percent of the votes went to Gray. In a largely Democratic city, winning the Primaries for this election is basically winning [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/gary-bests-fenty-in-democrat-primaries.html</link>
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		<title>Politician Websites Not Really Owned by Politician</title>
		<description><![CDATA[When it comes to cyber real estate, website domain names are not always what they appear. You would think that if you wanted to learn more about Brad Ellsworth, who is running for Senate in Indiana, that going to BradEllsworth.org might get you some information about this candidate, but not so. Instead, the site forwards [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/politician-websites-not-really-owned-by-politician.html</link>
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		<title>Rangel Wins Primaries</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia Charles Rangel, Democratic Representative from New York, faced five opponents in this year&#8217;s Primaries, but Rangel was by far the leader with 59 percent of the votes (after 32 percent of the votes had been counted). The closest opponent was Adam Clayton Powell IV with 25 percent of the votes. What&#8217;s interesting [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/rangel-wins-primaries.html</link>
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		<title>Bill Passed to Help Small Businesses</title>
		<description><![CDATA[On Thursday, September 16, a bill was passed in the Senate to help small businesses with tax breaks government loans. This multi-billion dollar package is designed to help spur the economy as well as provide new jobs. With more money, small businesses are more likely to hire on new employees as well as grow with [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/bill-passed-to-help-small-businesses.html</link>
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		<title>Understanding Historically the Right to Vote</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia One of the best ways to gain insight into a topic is to look at its history. This goes for any number of topics, it being a subject, sport, cultural issue, etc. The same line of logic is easily applied to the right to vote. Certainly the historical contexts of the right [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/understanding-historically-the-right-to-vote.html</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Inspiring Others to Vote</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Being able to inspire other individuals to take advantage of their right to vote is incredibly important. If given the opportunity, expressing the benefits of such a right can make a huge difference in one’s life and in the political environment. Inspiration is something that may be needed for some to take an interest in [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/inspiring-others-to-vote.html</link>
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		<title>How the Decisions of Politicians Affect Your Property Management Business</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia Taking the time to vote in both local and national elections shows you care about the decisions made by politicians and also that you value your right to vote. However, making uninformed voting choices is sometimes no better than skipping voting altogether. Therefore, here are a few tips to help you make [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/how-the-decisions-of-politicians-affect-your-property-management-business.html</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Voting and Baseball</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia In 1947 Jackie Robinson broke the African-American color line in baseball, making way for further progress towards giving all people the right to vote. As history demonstrates, the two seemingly loosely connected topics were closer than at first glance. The baseball color line was met with much disdain. Robinson himself met a [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/voting-and-baseball.html</link>
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		<title>Non-Voting Statistics and Implications</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia The statistics of non-voters is particularly unfortunate. With regards to the fundamental right to vote in the United States, it is underwhelming when non-voting statistics are considered. According to statistics, anywhere between 55 and 65% of Americans vote. This number is more or less accurate according to the nationâ€™s statistics over the [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/non-voting-statistics-and-implications.html</link>
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	<item>
		<title>Relationship Between Voting and Political Interest</title>
		<description><![CDATA[The relationship between voting and political interest may not be as well-defined as it seems. At first glance, it may seem as if only those who actively follow politics on some regular basis vote. However, this is certainly not the case at all times. In fact it is common for voters who not do not [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/relationship-between-voting-and-political-interest.html</link>
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		<title>Head to the Voting Booth Instead of the Poker Table</title>
		<description><![CDATA[One of the great things about being American is the privilege to elect candidates into office. It gives Americans the opportunity to put the people they think best represent them and their needs into public office at all levels, from the community to the Presidency. However, this ability was not always available to all Americans. [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/head-to-the-voting-booth-instead-of-the-poker-table.html</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Voting for Beginners</title>
		<description><![CDATA[What are the steps to take to vote? How much must I know in order to vote? Such questions seem to plague those who are worried about voting for the first couple of times. Indeed it can be overwhelming in the beginning, yet it is important to not worry too much about these types of [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/voting-for-beginners.html</link>
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	<item>
		<title>Utilizing the Internet to Prepare to Vote</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Image via Wikipedia The Internet is one of the most powerful tools. This certainly extends to being able to prepare to vote more efficiently. One of the best ways to utilize the Internet in this regard is to stay up-to-date with politics. There are plenty of valued news sources and political commentaries in which to [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/utilizing-the-internet-to-prepare-to-vote.html</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Extending Political Interest</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Having an interest in politics is important for many who take an active role in voting and supporting issues on a community, national, and global scale. Along similar lines, it is also relevant to consider how to be active in separate issues. One of the best ways to express this is within the community. The [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://www.myvotecounts.org/extending-political-interest.html</link>
			</item>
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