The Pain of Change

If you are an Independent, Libertarian, Populous or Green Party member it is time to stop thinking of yourself as a minority or fringe element of the electorate, of society.  You are not.

Registered Republicans (R) and Democrats (D), though most find it personally painful to admit it to themselves, are thinking (collectively) more like Independent, Libertarian, Populous or Green Party members than they care to recognize.

Concerning those R & D leaders we have faithfully voted for and, in some cases, worked diligently to help get elected: 

Rs & Ds:

Now recognize the war on Iraq was a huge mistake, on every level, and that their party overwhelmingly endorsed it and just keeps feeding it 100's of billions of dollars.

Now recognize Iraq and Al Qaeda were enemies, not one in the same.

Now recognize that Saddam Hussein, (who was once endorsed by R & D leaders as Iraq's go to guy) dictatorial as he was, did at least maintain some sense of order in the region.

Now recognize Bush's "war on terror" is not a war on terror at all, but rather a precursor to terror.

Now recognize the Patriot Act, cute name notwithstanding, is no less than a shoehorn into everyone's living room, workshop, bedroom, car, computer, cell phone, grocery lists, spending habits, medical records, finances (including bank transactions), religious activities, civic activities and just about everything else.

Now recognize (in the same context as above) one finds it nearly impossible to freeze one's own credit, move large sums of one's own money without scrutiny, find information about one's personal records, collect damages for harm done by heartless corporations that are immune to the same laws individuals are held to, with rigor, by the government.

Now recognize an unregulated Insurance Industry WILL NOT honor years of "paid" premiums, especially in the Delta Region.

Now recognize as an R & D government's rights to penetrate one's life expand, one's right to information about government affairs and activities is diminishing.

Now recognize the Freedom Of Information Act is being repealed, slowly but surely.

Now recognize when the chips are down, they can expect Federal Bureaucracies like FEMA to perform like Keystone Cops. 

Now recognize a policy of "pre-emptive war" is no less an "act of aggression" just because Bush (Karl Rove, actually) changed its name.

Now recognize illegal immigration problems were created by R & D politics and that R & D politics will not solve problems they love to debate.

Now recognize R & D parties cannot play the game unless they have a political football like immigration to toss back and forth.

Now recognize when one R & D political football deflates, there are plenty more in the equipment room.

Now recognize that if new footballs are not yet inflated they can be quickly inflated with ever-ready hot air provided by the press. 

Now recognize the protection and preservation of a monstrous industrial-military-congressional complex has taken over all other national considerations.

Now recognize an R & D enabled Corporate America has stolen our democratic process i.e., our elections.

Now recognize the R & D parties agree on one thing... protecting incumbency.

Now recognize that R & D parties have a pact... stated best by Washington DC's own Chris Arthur, a long time Democratic Congressional Advisor/Assistant, "if you mention a 3rd party to a Congressman - Republican or Democrat, they will squash you like a bug!" *Sage, advice given Wilderness Society lobbyists in DC prior to our efforts.

Now recognize the environment is NOT an "optional" consideration at the voting booth.

Now recognize our civil liberties have been eroding and that the process is gaining momentum, not in spite of but because of an entrenched R & D leadership.

Now recognize Rs care about issues like abortion and gay marriage only because they become "excellent" wedge issues AT ELECTION TIME.

Now recognize Ds are also enslaved to Corporate Interests and have lost touch with those ("we the people") whose well-being they historically championed.

Now recognize Rs are not, one bit, fiscally responsible.

Now recognize Ds really don't stand for much of anything any more.

Now recognize Rs & Ds put global corporate interest ahead of the people's national interests.

Rank and file R and D members now recognize nothing about the party they, and likely their parents and grandparents supported, and with conviction.

It is time for a truly "Democratic" coo in These United States of America.  It is time to fight for the best of what Democracy can be. There are exceptions, in both parties, to those generalities I mention above. I will likely vote for some Democrats that I believe truly retain values I typically assign to democrats. But in cases where I find little difference between the R & D choices, I will not hesitate to vote against both if I have that option.

My hope is that Independent, Libertarian, Populous and Green Party candidates will work together to oust the Rs & Ds. 

"R & D (...as in Research & Development, ha!) is a good thing... but when R & D becomes the goal and not the means... well, it's time to try a new experiment!"

If given a fair chance and a 3rd Party also fails the people... we the people can (if we will) replace them too.

Duane Short
July 10, 2006
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Those who are enslaved to their sects are not merely devoid of all sound knowledge, but they will not even stop to learn!

Galen, Claudius (c.130-c.200) Greek physician, writer. On The Natural Faculties