Word on the street is that the U.S. presidential election is making a lot of people mad.

Look, I just wasted 19 words! Everyone knows that a lot of people are getting mad over this election. I've heard both major candidates nicknamed "Hitler," which makes me think now is a good time For a reminder that Hitler alone was not responsible for the Holocaust.

Hitler and 90 million Germans were responsible for the Holocaust. The worst war in human history could not have occurred if 90 million people - 90 million husbands, wives, sons, and daughters a lot like us - had not been so desperate for their country to improve that they would follow a man who was an above-average public speaker and promised better things, regardless of his methods, regardless of his character.

Now, if you want to improve America today and are concerned about the upcoming election, here are some things you have to STOP doing. (I'm guilty of a lot of these, too. But I'll try to be better. I hope you will, too.)

Stop saying your vote doesn't count anyway.

According to the American Presidency Project, the presidential voter turnout in 2012 was 54.87%. Today, every American citizen above the age of 18 can vote. In 1860, when less than half of the population could vote at all (remember, neither women nor African-Americans had voting rights at this point in time, plus the voting age was 21 instead of 18), the turnout was 81.2%. This happened to be the election in which Abraham Lincoln was elected president, an election that, fraught as it was, could hardly have been tenser than this upcoming one. Can you imagine how different America might be if Lincoln, one of the most beloved presidents in American history, had never taken office?

A decade and a half later, in 1876, the turnout was even higher: 81.8%. That was the year Rutherford B. Hayes became president by one Electoral College vote. One. Vote.

I'm not saying the Electoral College doesn't have its problems. I'm saying you won't fix any problems at all by staying home. "If you don't vote, you can't complain," my sixth-grade teacher always said. By that logic, there should be a lot less political complaining in America.

Stop ignoring your local elections.

There are two very controversial presidential candidates for the two major parties, and a lot of people are struggling to try to figure out which to vote for. Of course, presidential elections matter, but what about Congress? Remember that even if the candidate you voted for doesn't end up the president, the Congressperson you voted for might. And they're the ones who actually make the laws. Congress had an 11% approval rating last year, and you know who can fix that? You. Put people in Congress that will represent you and your state the way you deserve.

And don't forget about state governors. Don't forget about mayors, judges, school superintendents. You may not think the laws in D.C. affect you, but the laws in your hometown certainly will. Get informed about who's running in your area, and then vote for the one you like. Like, now.

Stop voting blind.

By that, I mean don't vote for a certain candidate only because you have voted for their party in the past or only because you don't like another choice. Look at all four choices: Trump, Hillary, Jill Stein of the Green Party, and Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party. (I've read some pretty compelling arguments about why not to vote for a third-party candidate, but I just want everyone to know all the options.) Once you've looked at the ideologies of each candidate and decided which one you like the most/hate the least, THEN go vote.

Stop being uninformed.

Really, if I could only tell you guys one thing, this would be it. I know, I know, being informed is hard. School is hard. Work is hard. Having a family is hard. But we do these things anyway because we think they're worthwhile investments. What's a more worthwhile investment than your country?

I just searched "political news" in the App Store. Guess how many free apps there are that can get you political information? That's right. A lot. If you're not a smartphone user, I'm a fan of http://votesmart.org, which is dedicated to providing unbiased information about U.S. political candidates. There's a "political courage test" for candidates as well to see who will state their views and who will just bluster and change the subject. You might be surprised who doesn't pass.

Being informed also includes understanding the side you're not on. If you're a liberal with conservative friends or vice versa, sit down and talk to them about their viewpoints. Don't shame them, but stick up for yourself. Because if two differently-viewed people can't have a reasonable discussion about politics, there's no way we can expect Congress to.

Stop hating anyone. Ever.

Wait, I changed my mind. This is the one thing I would tell you. I am a member of a religion (Christianity) that believes it's not okay to hate anyone, ever. I also believe that's good policy for everyone of any or no religion. Unfortunately, many Christians, and many Americans in general have forgotten that in the wake of the election.

I'm not saying it's not okay to get angry. I urge you to get angry if a political candidate is threatening your way of life or the way of life of someone you love. However, the one sure-fire way to destroy the country is to let anger become hate. Hate's got the stomach of a teenage boy after cross-country practice. It eats and eats and never stops. So don't let it start. Hasn't hate already caused enough problems in the world?

Here's one thing you should do instead: care about everyone. Care about black people, white, Asian, Hispanic, the LGBTQ+ community, the disability community, criminals, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, atheists, women, men, children, liberals, conservatives, moderates. Everyone.

And if you can do that, you're off to a good start.