Oops, she did it again! Yes, that’s right; Britney Spears has finally proved to the world that she’s not only “Toxic,” but that she’s also “Outta this World” (a little Britney play on words for all you die-hards). But does she really deserve all of the recent media attention being shown on news channels like CNN and MSNBC? If I didn’t know better, I might have even believed that Britney was up for the 2008 nomination. With all of the anticipation about the upcoming election, why do celebrities continue to take precedence over the more important aspects of American culture?

Instead of participating in the electoral process, Americans are more interested in watching what crazy stunt Britney will pull next. Perhaps she will begin growing her leg hair out, or maybe she will decide to wear underwear again. The possibilities are endless, but the fact is, she always seems to keep us on the edges of our seats. Are our lives really that mundane that we resort to living through overrated pop stars who couldn’t sing to begin with? Well, maybe for some of us, they are.

A lack of political enthusiasm, especially among students and young adults, seems to be a downward trend in this country. If you don’t believe me, take a look at Binghamton University’s participation in the Super Tuesday election. A local news station covered the event and mentioned the disappointment that senior citizens running the event felt with student turnout. Let’s just say that we didn’t leave the greatest impression, especially when considering the fact that our school ranks first among public colleges in the Northeast.

Clich√É.√© as it may be, we are America’s future, and the 2008 election may well be the most important one we take part in. Much of our future rest in the hands of one of the few remaining presidential candidates, and it is up to our country’s “intelligent” youth to encourage the more unenthusiastic to do their job as responsible citizens.

Reliable news channels are becoming more attuned to the interests of die-hard pop fans, covering breaking celebrity news instead of breaking news with the war in Iraq and the well-being of our soldiers. Heath Ledger made more headlines in the two weeks since his death than did the men and women fighting for the ideologies of our current president.

Surely we all can indulge in some Chelsea Lately, but the personal lives of Hollywood’s junkies shouldn’t compete with the political news of America’s (possibly bleak) future. Before you vote, take some time out from watching Britney’s new hideous makeover and do some research about the potential candidates — the upcoming election will determine what the job market may be once we graduate from Binghamton.