Once more unto the breech, dear friends, once more. It probably won’t surprise you to know that William Shakespeare wrote that; it’s the opening line from Henry V.

The United States is deadlocked over supposed ideologies that offer no leadership. None. Zero. Zip. Nada. Why do I say that? Because neither side is offering a scintilla of what leadership is supposed to deliver, which is a vision of a better place in the future than the place where we find ourselves today. Instead, what we get is juvenile, playground bully diatribe: ‘Oh, you think I’m bad? Well, look at the other side. He’s worse.’ 

Just once, I’d like to see a leader in Washington who is willing to actually lead. To describe a tangibly better future for the nation, in some degree of detail. To explain how we’ll get there, and why it will be better when we do. Just once, without an overlay of the political badgering that adds no value.

Just once, I’d like to see a leader put nation before party, future before ideology, goal before winning at all costs. Just once. Just once I’d like to see a leader dispense with political rhetoric and speak plain English. Just once.

Just once, I’d like to see a candidate dispense with trying to sell me swag and instead of trying to sell me on a vision of a desirable future. Just once. Just once I’d like to see a candidate who speaks with the people, not at the people.

Just once I’d like to see a candidate reach across the aisle without an agenda, other than to make things better for some group of people in the country. Just once I’d like to see actions from a political leader that are undertaken for reasons other than vote-gathering. Just once.

Just once, I’d like to see a candidate for president take the phrase, “Of the people, by the people, and for the people” seriously. And on that note, just once, I’d like to see a candidate who is actually elected by the people—not by the electoral college, but by the people, because the people came out in large numbers to vote. It is a right, and it is a privilege, and it is a responsibility. And the majority of eligible voters in the country discard it as a meaningless waste of time. What a travesty, and what a tragedy.

There is a quote I like to use when I teach leadership workshops: 

‘If you want something different, you have to do something different. Hope is not a strategy.’

Both of the geriatric would-be leaders (and I use that word skeptically) want the presidency, and one of them will get it. Yet neither of them SHOULD get it. We don’t need another out-of-touch person setting the direction of the United States. I’m 70 years old and I don’t want either one of them in that position. I want someone younger, brighter, more dynamic, full of ideas, looking to heal the worthless scar tissue that divides the country. I’m old enough to have seen this country at its best, when we were revered as a people and as a nation. So please, Millennials and Plurals—take a stand. Show the gerontocracy in Washington that you are far and away more mature than they are. Send someone to the White House next time who is worthy of the street address. 

Abdication is also not a strategy. Edmund Burke wrote, “All that is required for evil to prevail is for enough good men to do nothing.” Do nothing, and you reward bad behavior. Do nothing, and you get what you deserve. Do nothing, and you have no right to complain about the outcome.

So please: Do something. Speak up. Vote. Write to your local, state and national representatives. Contribute opinion pieces to your local newspaper. Start a Podcast. Start a blog. Let yourselves be heard. Because to do nothing is not a protest: it is an abdication. I understand that you’re disgusted with the current state of things. You should be: So am I. But remember what I said earlier: If you want something different, you have to do something different, because hoping for change is equal to doing nothing. And when nothing is done, evil prevails.

You are too good, too valuable to the future to squander this opportunity to make a difference for yourselves and your children. So, step up and let yourselves be heard. Your voice is orders of magnitude more important than the collective voices of those older than you. Yes, we have wisdom to share that is valuable, and we will freely share it with you. But wisdom informs change; action leads to it. So please: Act. The country needs you. There are far more of you than there are of us: Make those numbers count for something.