TODAY: Rock the Vote! Or Still Looking For A Leader?

"Every American President has left an impact on his country and the World. This musical history lesson from Neil Young takes a look at the past, present and future of US leadership."

With the U.S. Presidential Election today, on Tuesday, 11/6, here is "Lookin' for a Leader" by Neil Young from Living with War and some useful information to have on election day.

Lookin' for a Leader
To bring our country home
Re-unite the red white and blue
Before it turns to stone

Lookin' for somebody
Young enough to take it on
Clean up the corruption
And make the country strong

Walkin' among our people
There's someone who's straight and strong
To lead us from desolation
And a broken world gone wrong

Someone walks among us
And I hope he hears the call
And maybe it's a woman
Or a black man after all

Yeah maybe it's Obama
But he thinks that he's too young
Maybe it's Colin Powell
To right what he's done wrong

America has a leader
But he's not in the house
He's waling here among us
And we've got to seek him out

Yeah we've got our election
But corruption has a chance
We got to have a clean win
To regain confidence

AMERICA is beautiful
But she has an ugly side
We're lookin' for a leader
In this country far and wide

We're lookin' for a leader
With the great spirit on his side

Someone walks among us
And I hope he hears the call
And maybe it's a woman
Or a black man after all.

Recall in 2004, Neil Young and Pearl Jam were a few of the seventeen musicians who took part in the Vote for Change tour - caravanning through battleground states to Get Out The Vote.


Pearl Jam & Neil Young - All Along the Watchtower - Pro Shot, from the Vote for Change Tour 2004

Check out Neil's message at conclusion.

From a Time Magazine interview with Neil Young in 2005:

"I'm a Canadian. I'd like to vote in the U.S. election because I feel like I've got just as much right to vote in them as anybody else. I've lived here for so long, paid taxes for so long and my kids have to register for selective service. I guess I could be a dual citizen, but if I ever had to give up my Canadian citizenship to become American I wouldn't do it, because I wouldn't want to hurt Canada. I love Canada."

Peter Frampton, Pearl Jam & Neil
Toledo, OH - October 2004
photo by Jayson Teig
The man who once sang he "wouldn't sing for politicians" did just so in 2004.

Neil Young, wearing a T-shirt with "Canadians for Kerry" joined the Dave Matthews Band concert at the Vote for Change Concert Tour on Oct 3, 2004 at the Palace in Auburn Hills, MI.

Dave Matthews introduced Young by saying "a good friend of ours," before launching into a 15 minute electric performance of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower."

Young said to the audience of more than 13,000:

"Some of you may know I'm a Canadian, and I'm here representing Canadians for Kerry. The rest of the world couldn't be here, but they say hi."

Young then dedicated the next song to Spain and played "Cortez the Killer" and the anthem "Rockin' in the Free World".


Neil Young , Dixie Chicks & James Taylor
“Harvest Moon” and “Heart of Gold"
Fox Theatre - Detroit, MI - Oct. 4, 2004
Photo by Brandy Baker/The Detroit News
(A Thrasher's Wheat Poll earlier indicated that fans are evenly divided on Neil's participation in politics. More on the Vote For Change Tour - 2004.)


IMPORTANT VOTING INFORMATION

With the U.S. Presidential Election today, on Tuesday, 11/6, here is some useful information to have on election day:

- If you have problems at the polls, call 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). Program this # into your cell now. Also, if you have a cell camera be prepared to use. Photograph any problems at polls and call # to upload.

Identification Required at the Polls. Acceptable Forms of ID include:
- Photo ID, such as Driver's license, state ID card, student ID card or tribal ID card
- Voter Registration Card
- Utility Bill
- Bank Statement
- Paycheck Stub
- Government Check or Other Government Document
(*Note: Voter without ID may vote a provisional ballot.)

You Have the Right to Vote
Here is what you can do to safeguard your vote.
- Find Out Who is in Charge - Make a list of your county and state election officials.
- Verify Your Registration - Verify your vote and your polling station BEFORE you head to the polls. Visit www.vote.wa.gov to check.
- Vote Early - Beat the lines and free up your time to help others get to the polls.
- Document and Report - If you witness any problems at the polling place, call your election officials or 1-866-Our-Vote for election protection information. Make sure to keep a detailed record of the facts including location, names and the problem.
- Plan Ahead for Long Lines - Go with friends or bring phones, iPods, snacks or reading materials. Make it fun and encourage others to stay in line too.
- Verify Your Vote - If using an electronic voting machine, check your screen and make sure it produces a paper record. Check to see everything is correct.
- Ask for Provisional Ballots - If for any reason you are turned away at the polls, be sure to ask for a Provisional Ballot (i.e. no I.D., wrong polling location, not on the voter rolls, etc.. Your vote will be counted if you are eligible.
- Spread the Word - Make sure your friends and family know these rights and they too encourage others to get to the polls. Visit www.ivoteyouvote.com to help others make that important voting connection
- Don't Believe the Polls - Be sure to make your vote heard. Don't be persuaded by polling numbers to not cast your vote. Polls can be wrong. Every vote needs to be cast and counted.

[Voters who experience problems voting are advised to not leave your polling station but to call a hotline 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) instead to get advice. The hotline will be staffed with legal experts who can help you determine your voting rights. The Election Protection group running the hotline will also have legal experts in the field monitoring situations at the polls. If you don't have a legal question but simply want to report a problem you had, you can call a separate hotline 866-MYVOTE1 (866-698-6831) and leave a recorded message. Be sure to leave your name and phone number on the recording if you want someone to investigate your problem.]



And ROCK the VOTE!

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