I feel like I'm lost in some kind of alternate universe where elections like this are acceptable. Mike Rowe, the popular host of the TV show ‘Dirty Jobs’ on the Discovery Channel, and who occasionally comments on political issues, recently responded to a fan comment about getting people to vote. Mike suggested we weren't given these two terrible choices for presidential candidates. We put them there. We gave America these two. To me, he made a valid point. Are we putting ourselves above this year's establishment and bizarre politics? Or are we condoning, maybe even enticing it?

If you think it's more complex than that, let's take a look at the Bernie Sanders campaign, the millennial belief system, Independent voters, and the DNC's fight against Bernie. There is more than enough evidence suggesting the DNC was biased before voting ever began. The fact that people continue to overlook and even defend this behavior proves Rowe’s point valid. If we don’t hold our politicians to higher standards, why should they expect it of themselves?

I’m a Bernie supporter and when he endorsed Hillary, I knew why he did it. Despite the blatant biases from the DNC, there's leverage for him there. It looks like selling out to some but others understood that this was the only way to really get into the cogs of the machine and start making his own adjustments. Hillary changed her position on a few things that do matter a lot to millennials. The problem is Hillary thought that would be enough to buy us and of course, it isn't. I don't blame Bernie for his decision and I still trust him. But after the recent release of the Podesta emails and what appears to be Bernie's vague response, I have to wonder if he just doesn't care about this anymore. He knew they were against him and his supporters all along, so at the end of the day it doesn't matter. He doesn't want Hillary in office and I know that. But what's the point in losing his position to make real change just to start rocking the Democratic Party boat?

Why? Because of integrity. The next generation of workers and families and children deserve so much more than Hillary Clinton. Maybe you disagree that she's as bad as people claim or maybe you just don't care. Maybe keeping Trump out of office is better than voting third party to you. But let me tell you and Bernie Sanders and the DNC and Hillary Clinton something. Regardless of how you feel about Trump, allowing voter disenfranchisement and just generally condoning horrible behavior will only make the trust issues we have with politicians worse. And I’m just as concerned about the support Trump is getting. You don’t have to look far to find more than enough evidence that he lacks the professionalism, character, and level-headedness to be the president.

At the end of the day, there will never be an election where everyone on both sides doesn’t think the world, or at the least the US, will implode if a certain major party candidate isn’t elected. We always persevere despite our candidate losing or our candidate winning and completely screwing things up.

This entire election is a joke and so many of you very educated voters from both sides of the aisle are willing to throw away your democracy just to keep the other fraud out of office. Just so you know, THAT is wasting your vote.

So vote or don't vote. Vote for Trump or Clinton. I don't care anymore. What I care about is where this country goes and how we get there. I have beliefs and opinions of my own, based on evidence and on my own moral compass, just like you. So based on the conduct of both parties and their selected nominees, I've decided that I won't be a part of this. I won't be a part of a system that cares more about money, personal gain, and selfish biases over what is actually best for the country. I'd like all of you to take a long look in the mirror and think about how you're willing to vote for one of two abysmally ineligible individuals with massive failures and character flaws, rather than vote for a decent candidate. Because rather than use your right to vote for what this country needs, you're wasting it on two people who can only bring more damage than what they can fix.

If eligible citizens actually took the time to educate themselves and vote, and Independent voters weren’t disenfranchised (like in my state of Florida) and were able to participate in primaries, we’d have a much better chance of fixing the system every American complains about. If you want to see money out of politics, to elect politicians you can trust, and finally have a government working properly for the people, it’s time you understand that this two-party system must die. And what better time to at least start that process than during the most ridiculous and embarrassing election we’ve ever had?

I know what you’re going to say. A third-party vote is a waste or that one candidate is so bad that I simply have to vote for the other. But I know this country is better than that. I know we’re better than bullying and extortion to get someone elected. Perhaps you disagree and will ignore this glaring problem every 4 years simply because it’s easier. I, however, have decided to take the route less traveled. Even if it’s harder, at least I won’t feel ashamed after casting my ballot on November 8^th.