How do we change this?

Stimulate self-respect in youth and a belief in one's abilities. Encourage accountability. This means staging the opposing political candidates in a gladiator war. Give them sexy metallic wrestling outfits, the headgear, and mind blowing titles like "Obama the Crusher." Of course political runners would have to present their party platform, but while beating each other with padded mallets on precarious foam towers. People would fervently watch the debates. They would be glued to their television screens and would text their votes in by the millions. I can prove this because more people voted during 2006's American Idol (530 million) than in the 2008 election (131.3 million). So people love entertainment. Politics is a joke to most people anyway. Give them what they want. A talent show.