I’m burning to cast my vote in this upcoming presidential election. I can’t wait to express my voice and make my choice for the first leader of the United States in the 21st century.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make that choice.

I’m a Swiss citizen and not allowed to vote here. So instead of voting, I keep wondering: what comes to the average American mind in regard to Switzerland? Probably chocolate and cheese.

Maybe Swiss army knives. Does anyone ever think about Swiss politics?

Probably not.

If you did, you would perhaps find the following:

Switzerland favors the idea of a representative democracy. Just like the United States does. The Swiss government functions on the three branch principle. Just like the United States does.

The Swiss legislature is bicameral, with one chamber counting two representatives per state (we call them “Kantons”) while the other chamber represents the states proportionally to their population. Just like the United States does.

Oh, and our voter turnout is embarrassingly low. Just like in the United States.

Though there are more surprising similarities, there are also some striking differences. Instead of one Mr. Fix-it, we have seven. Five men and two women. Ours are elected for four years, too.

However, once in office their re-election is almost always guaranteed. Once in office and if behaving morally and otherwise correctly, our executive leaders decide when they want to retire.

In addition, we have at least ten political parties that are alive and kicking in our congress. Out of those 10, the four majority parties are represented in the executive body.

Why am I giving you this little spiel about a country so small it could easily fit into California four times? I’m telling you because there is more than one kind of democracy.

Democracy can be more than just two parties with two greater or lesser evils running for power. You take most of your tests at De Anza College on a multiple-choice basis. Why don’t you do the same in this presidential election?

If you don’t identify with either party – even if you don’t identify with politics at all, don’t just turn your back on politics, because then politics will certainly turn on you, as Ralph Nader says.

If you think you don’t have a choice, you are wrong!

Don’t turn away because you don’t like either flavor the potential government has for you. Don’t just decide on the bigger or lesser of two evils.

Pick Green, Socialist, Libertarian, Natural Law, or Constitution.

To translate this into a more gastronomical setting: if you don’t like either jack or cheddar, pick Brie, Vacherin, Parmesan, Gruyere. There is still time – go to a website, like www.issues2000.org, and find out which cheese comes closest to your taste.

As the American political system runs now, you practically have a choice between two parties, whereas in Switzerland the choice is between multiple parties.

Or at least multiple viewpoints. Don’t get me wrong here. I am not saying that one system is better or worse than the other.

What I am saying is that if you don’t like the menu, the political system as it is, change it.

If you are not convinced that either a Democrat or a Republican will do the job, then vote for someone else.

Vote and say that you want more choice. More diversity. More political parties involved. More options.

Tell the system that you want to pick from a whole cheese platter!

I cannot cast my vote and make my pick. I hope I have given you some food for thought so that those of you who can will go out there and vote.