Connecting the dots; "Fahrenheit 9/11" turns into lesson in Voting 101

I registered to vote while waiting in line to see Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11."

Not many people in my age group vote. In fact, according to the U.S. Census,18- to 24-year-olds are the lowest percentage of registered voters, but I don't like to follow trends.

Now that I'm 19 and leaning toward the left, I knew that it was time to take political action. Being a novice voter, this election has inspired me to look under every rock in search of my own political ideology. And I wanted to find my path without the guidance of CNN or Fox News.

"Fahrenheit 9/11" is the sludge I found after I turned those rocks.

The film is from the creator of "Bowling for Columbine." And though some see it as a cheap shot against President George W. Bush's administration, I see it as mud being slung in a fresh fashion. "Fahrenheit" exposes Bush's seedy underbelly and has left me wondering how trustworthy our president truly is.

During the last presidential election, I was 15, I didn't care who took office and I had no political views. I was more concerned about missing my favorite TV shows than I cared that two old guys were fighting for the presidency.

After the events of 9/11 and the collapse of the economy, I started to care about who was running the country. I needed more guidance than my family could give me. I needed to see stuff that I wouldn't see on TV. I needed someone like Moore to shed light on our commander in chief.

And when I saw what he had to offer, I was convinced that the American public doesn't know as much as they think they do about Mr. Bush.

The movie starts with fireworks bursting in air, followed by the peculiar events that followed election 2000. How did all of the controversy over who captured the presidency get started in the first place? Moore's movie claims that one man is responsible - John Ellis.

Ellis, one of the big wigs at Fox News, took it upon himself to declare Bush the winner in Florida, thus cementing the election.

Oh, did I mention Ellis is Bush's first cousin?

Moore goes from there to reveal that the president was on vacation 42 percent of the first eight months he was in office. Funny, where great presidents such as Franklin D. Roosevelt took instant action to revive the nation after a national crisis, Bush hit the courses to practice his golf swing. I wish I could get a job in which I controlled the "free world," was paid $400,000 a year and got about 20 weeks of paid time off.

From there, Moore moves on to a touchier topic - 9/11. Moore shows glimpses of people in tears, but what I thought was truly shocking was how Bush was notified that Osama bin Laden had threatened the United States weeks before Sept. 11, 2001, and was given a report stating that fact in the title of the report. Moore's film makes it look as though Bush ignored that report.

Angela Anderson, a De Anza College student, thinks that "Fahrenheit 9/11" is an "excellent portrayal of how ignorant Bush is."

Is Bush really ignorant or just playing dumb?

Let's give some more credit to the man. He isn't dumb; he's crafty.

The Bush family has a large amount of money invested with the Carlyle Group, a corporation that specializes in defense. And what better way for them to gain financially than to promote defense after the destruction of the World Trade Center?

Bush stood a lot to gain if he ignored the threats of Osama bin Laden - a lot of money! The picture is so clear to me now. The Saudi members that were on the Carlyle Group's board with Bush, the ignored threats, the cut in soldiers' pay and veterans' checks. I've connected the dots. And they have revealed a tremendous dollar sign.

Repulsive. I can't have a man serving me as president who cares more about his own well-being than the good of a nation. Watching Moore's film has made me more aware of the things happening in the world of politics. I'll be staying up on the issues more than I ever have before, because my vote counts.

Moore has made his case and I'm not the only one rallying behind him. "Get Bush out," Anderson said, "I don't care who it is."

Seeing Bush's puzzled looks on TV, hearing his butchered sayings and living through the hardship of the economy he produced made me want to register to vote. But watching "Fahrenheit 9/11" has encouraged me to cast a ballot against him no matter where I am on Nov. 2.