CURRENT AGE: 16
YOUNG POLITICAL ACTIVIST: RIDGEFIELD, CONN.
Adam Lussier, 18
Ridgefield, Connecticut
When Adam Lussier realized that he was nearing voting age, he decided to do some research on the presidential candidates. Like most teens, he headed straight to the Web, where he "stumbled upon" Ron Paul's Web site and liked what he read. A registered Democrat, Adam switched parties to vote for Paul in Connecticut's Super Tuesday primary.
But choosing a candidate was not enough. Lussier joined a 71-member meet-up group (http://ronpaul.meetup.com/384/), with whom he canvassed grassroots support and met with other Ron Paul supporters.
Although Paul suspended his campaign in early June, Lussier's support for the congressman has not waned. He plans to continue his political activism as he heads to Carnegie Mellon University in the fall, and he hopes to campaign for Paul in 2012.
What qualities do you look for in a candidate?
What I like about Ron Paul is that he's pretty straightforward, he doesn't really mince around words, and he understands how to follow the Constitution. So he's steadfast, that's the trait that I like.
Do you plan on supporting John McCain in the fall or will you write in Ron Paul?
I don't think that it's really worth it to vote for someone who has no chance of winning, just to make a statement. I'd rather use my vote to give one to Barack Obama.
What advice would you give to other kids who want to get politically involved but don't exactly know how?
The Internet is a resource for that because it's pretty easy to Google what you're looking for. I'd say that that's my No. 1 resource.
If you could pass any piece of legislation, what would it be?
Right now, what I'd probably want to pass is legislation concerning the educational quality in America. I don't really like what George Bush has done with education and No Child Left Behind, so I'd want to implement some legislature to change the way that schools are evaluated.
What issue would you like the candidates to address?
I think my No. 1 issue would be following the Constitution. I would ask them what they have to think about some of the new, potentially unconstitutional powers that the government has, like some aspects of the Patriot Act that give the government surveillance powers that it has never had before.
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