In a Word: Learning Anonymous

Reading at a young age, I am told, is the best way to sharpen a developing mind. In the months leading up to the presidential elections in November of 1992, I was a seven-year-old with an undiagnosed case of attention deficit disorder and a generally sensitive, introverted disposition. Naturally, in a world without widespread Internet access and a household without cable television, I spent a great deal of my time with books. It was partially due to these circumstances that I attained a higher reading level than the rest of the students in my kindergarten class, prompting my early promotion to first grade near the beginning of the school year.

It would make for a nice story if I could say that a decade ago I was an avid follower of the Bush and Clinton campaigns, but I won't lie. Like the majority of first graders, the political process was not a major concern for me, and I have only vague memories of my father's disappointment when Bill Clinton was elected.

Fortunately, my voter apathy was short-lived, and since the 1996 elections my obsession with politics has grown every year. My mother's successful campaign for the Wayne County Circuit Court open seat in 1998 was a major factor in introducing me to the world of...