Hey, he sounds like Bernie!

Mr. Lear;

What a refreshing point of view, in that it mirrors what I have believed (with growing intensity) for the past two years. The man at the top (GWB) is, indeed, a boob, and congress is wholly ineffective, mainly because of our limited choices for who can run and gain office in this great country. The REAL problem is the two party system and the lack of voter participation. Unfortunately, these two things tend to feed into one another. By not giving the public a TRUE choice at the polls, many stay away thinking their vote won't matter. Having only two parties that can mount any viable awareness (thanks to both Madison Avenue and the Media), as well as the two parties with all the power, the only thing our politicians seem to be doing, once elected, is trying to secure another term or a higher position within the cash cow called the U.S. Government. IF ALL the incumbents were thrown out of office on election day, the shake-up would be tremendous. All the power alliances would be destroyed and politicians would be placed on notice that the American people were ready and willing to take back [their] government. Also, I believe that the socialized programs (health care, retirement entitlements, etc.) for our politicians should be like any job, only available to those actively in office. Let them use their own monies once out of office (out of the job) to provide their own medical, retirement and all the other facets of public life. If we create a system where ALL politicians are limited to one 6-year term, within the office (job) they were elected (hired by the public) to do, and then placed back in the private sector, perhaps we can take our country back from these blood-sucking parasites.

Please get my book, "Bernie's War". This all happens.

As for your assessments on the Presidential candidates, on that issue I respectfully disagree (I too am a veteran of military service). While I respect Mr. McCain and actually feel he would be an effective leader, I feel that, unfortunately, he is tied too directly to what Bush and his policies have rendered, as his voting record proves. I also feel that Palin is a horrendous choice for a V.P. pick and no more qualified to be President than Obama. [Why McCain didn't pick Romney, I'll never know. Obviously, McCain is not above pandering to the base he claims to continually battling with..being the maverick and all.) And while Biden is no great shakes, if he outlives his running mate, he is certainly the better choice to take over the reigns of power than a power abusing hockey mom with no more credentials to the highest power in the land than being Govenor of Alaska. Don't forget, the last Governor voted into office (at least the second time, he was selected for his first term by the power abusers in Florida (unfortunately my home state), didn't do so well, taking this country into an unecessary conflict while ignoring the TRUE threats to our country. I cannot in good concience endorse the party that took ths country to the nadir it's at now.

Sadly, Americans are more like lemmings than individuals and they do not appreciate the true power [they] hold. We need to break down the two party system and start treating our problems as more than just sound bites. The issues of late are (in my opinion); the economy, energy independence, education, geo-political and security. Why we cannot gather the greatest minds in each of these arenas and charge tehm with finding a way out of the mess our government (in its current form) has plaqced us is the real question. Unfortunately, the public needs to wake up and take back control.

And you think the Socialist Obama is gonna do that? Not a chance. He wants redistribution of wealth and higher taxes. As Winston Churchill so perspicaciously said, "Taxing your way to prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket trying to lift himself with the handle". And just exactly what do we know about the upstart Obama? Many, many disturbing things, but still not everything because he continues to hide his true past. Frankly, I don't really believe the American people are going to elect this miscreant. If they do, however, they'll get exactly what they deserve for their stupidity.

And good luck to you, DJ! All best -

Bill

Take care, and God Bless America!!
DJC