I think it was HL Mencken who said that if things could be changed by voting, then voting would have been outlawed long ago. Until we break the monopoly held on the electoral process by the "two" parties, voting will have little effect. I guess you noticed that there was almost no difference between Bush and Gore in the campaign. Bush sold his candidacy by demonstrating that he could get Gore's agenda passed better than Gore could have.
We have to somehow get candidates onto the ballot who aren't slaves to the existing political order. I think that starting at the county level is the only hope. If we have only 10-20 years left, then working within the established system will fail us.
As a bonus to Bush, at least around FR parts, he receives resounding huzzahs from the mouth-breathing faithful. For passing Gore's agenda.