Two Party Politics: A Failed System

Mascots and Symbols Don't Solve Problems

Over-running Washington DC with political parties that have evolved into these nondescript, nebulous sort of creatures (Donkeys and Elephants) cannot solve our problems. Even these parties' own offspring/constituents no longer recognize them.

How many times must we be disappointed before we try something different? Something has to be done. I am not even sure what "taking back" a political party means... but that's been tried for the last 40+ years.

For having written some very deep, long thought out thoughts, and then sending them out at this time, I know I will be suspected to be a Republican shill (because I am Democrat more than anything else). If I was a Republican, I truly believe I could send out this same message with few changes. Remember, when I say Democrat (D) and Republican (R) I am speaking of your run-of-the-mill Rs and Ds. If I was a Republican, I would be called a shill for the Democrats, no doubt.

I have voted for Republicans, Democrats, Independents and I have voted for Greens.

Looking back, the votes I am most proud of are those that most closely reflected my true conscience, regardless of party and regardless of whether or not those votes were winning votes.

The notion that some might suspect to me be a Republican shill truly makes me smile. I know few who have a greater distaste for today's Republican party (as a whole) than myself.

The suspicious will have overlooked the possibility that there are many Republican voters who, like me, are not party loyalists. Some Republican voters have brains too. Recent polls (finally) indicate such. There are many Republicans looking for alternatives to our nation's primarily two-party system status quo.

American voters are beginning to feel like a child in a custody battle. First jerked this way and then jerked that way... back and forth over and over again... all the while the child is beginning to distrust both parents.

Millions of people are searching for alternatives to the choices a two-party system has offered even though leaving the familiar comfort of the two-party system make them feel uncomfortable. Old worn-out boots are often quite comfortable... but they might no longer protect your feet. New boots can be quite uncomfortable but... they protect your feet.

So, in case this message makes you uncomfortable, first of all - good... it should. I say this, not be a smart ass but because learning one has alternatives is sometime uncomfortable. The process of learning can cause one to feel quite uncomfortable.

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"The art of learning is in the learning to be become comfortable with being uncomfortable."
George "Ted" Goslow, Evolutionary Biologist. The best professor I ever had. Northern Arizona University & Brown University, Emeritus
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Secondly, give my message a chance... to digest. This message calls for a drastic change, not necessarily in one's immediate votes but in one's mindset. The sad truth is... there are just not enough good third party candidates out there... yet.

No one, more than me, wants to see Republicans lose control of both house and senate (and NOW!)... but to be more accurate... I should say, "No one, more than me, wants to see hubris, conservatism, an air of entitlement, fear and hate lose control of both house and senate.

I would vote for any individual, regardless of the uniform he or she wears, if they demonstrate, beyond reasonable doubt, they abhor those attributes above and replace them with something I call a "bleeding heart full of love." And yes, the hopeful candidates I'm seeking need brains too. They need above all, to recognize the most universal common denominator to humankind and all other living species on the planet. That commonality is contained in this axiom:

"When no longer remains fresh air to breathe, clean water to drink, and healthy food to eat... nothing else matters."

I refer to as REALITICS the process of basing all political decisions on their ultimate effect upon this triad of life's necessities. The leaders I am seeking will trace every decision they make back to the truism that "When no longer remains fresh air to breathe, clean water to drink, and healthy food to eat... nothing else matters." Every political consideration must ask the question, "how will this decision affect the ground humanity walks on, the air humanity breathes and the water humanity drinks?"

Merely having a "job" cannot provide these basic needs of life. On the other hand, a mere "job" can have a part in destroying these very sources that provide these basic and critical needs for all life on the planet.

The leaders I seek will not stop short. Our present body politic stops short of basing the integrity of their decisions on REALITICS. Our present leaders seem to agree, the commonality that binds all humans, all life on earth is embodied in "economy." They fail to recognize money cannot directly supply oxygen to, quench thirst for, or nourish the human body.

With 9,346,399,468 humans projected to be consuming in the year 2050 what little resources are left from the consumption of 2,556,000,000 humans in the 1950s and 6,082,966,429 humans in year 2000, politics cannot continue the real bottom line to human survival. Economic concerns must begin to address survival concerns. This suggested shift in focus is not a projection a gloom and doom as one might first suspect. To the contrary. This suggested shift in focus is bright look into human progress toward true equality.

When it is estimated that 6% of the global population possess 59% of the entire world’s wealth, and all 6% are from the United States, equality is clearly an issue.

I likely agree with most of the ideas and values associated with your politics. However, I likely disagree with your politics per se. I certainly agree, we must "wrest" Congress from Republican control. But what success is that if we do not gain a REALITICS mindset?

The world and its resources are shrinking as human population grows exponentially.

If you have broadband go to: Ecological Footprint between 1961 and 2001 worldwide

Once there click on the small map showing Africa.

The intensity of human consumption is no less than startling. When you view the animated map (above) keep in mind these changes have occurred in a mere 40 years of human history.

There is no economy where there are no resources.

To reiterate and then twist the phrase, it's "NOT the economy, stupid!" It is no longer good enough (never has been, in reality) to pretend a given nation's economy is the bottom line to the politics that govern it.

In today's world the bottom line, no matter the nation, is resources; their conservation, use and a proper sharing of them (domestically and abroad) at the grass roots level. To ignore this fact is no less than an open declaration of war... humanity against itself.

If one believes human's can get vicious over oil, just wait until water is the resource up for grabs. One cannot breathe, drink or eat oil. One not only can, but must drink water.

I cannot stress strongly or often enough, it is time to change the human mindset. United States brand of Capitalism has infected the entire planet. On one level, it is understandable that those nations who have been plagued with perpetual poverty "grab as grab can" their piece of capitalism. The problem is... the U.S. brand of capitalism teaches (brainwashes actually) that "more is never enough." The United States of America has been teaching doctrine everywhere is goes.

Teaching foreign nations our brand of consumption increases our exports. But what happens when all developing nations become as consumptive as they possibly can be, like us? The, once, uniquely western mindset of "bigger is better" and "more is never enough" has gone global.

Comments expressed in my earlier message, "Minority No More," are also about mindset... more than politics. I included, following this message, my original piece "Minority No More." On the surface, my comments may seem to counter this common plea to "Vote Democratic Party." My comments could, in certain cases take a seat from a Democrat but only if embraced by oh... say a million times more readers than will read these comments. Should this happen, a Democrat losing a seat would be a consequence but not a motive.

I hear from others, Duane, your ideas have merit... but, but, but... now is not the time. I have to ask, if not now, when is the best time for one to vote one's conscience?

Just vote your conscience. I say "conscience" because I still believe in the basic goodness of humanity. I believe one's conscience is best defined in how they would deal with diminishing supplies of air, water and food. If only enough of anything was left for the survival of one and you are one of two in the end, would you share these resources or would you kill for them. Would your answer remain the same regardless of race, nationality, sex, age, political affiliation and etc. of the other individual? We Democrats value equality, do we not? We certainly preach it enough.

I know the above hypothetical is just that, but I believe how individuals (and collective humanity) would truly respond, if subjected to the above scenario, defines the course of human progress, lack thereof or even human regression into barbarism. It is clear the course of today's Republican party. It is less clear the course of the Democrats.

I have heard and read plenty of third party candidates thoughts on the scenario above. Friends, I find my conscience more and more in tune with their messages than either of the two major party candidates rhetoric, and rhetoric is basically all I hear from them.

Vote your conscience. To me, conscience includes heart and mind.

That's all I am suggesting. I could just stop right here... but I won't. Sorry, I can't.

Given present circumstances I understand this plea to "just vote Democrat." It always, however, seems to be the same old plea.... now is not the time to shake up the two party system.

If for no other reason, numbers and common sense should compel everyone to desire at least a three party system.

In almost any other setting, organizations are certain to have an odd number of principals who must cast votes on important issues. Their reasoning is obvious. A committee of "two" always ends in either a tie or a unanimous consensus. This sets up an "either or" situation. You remember how this situation manifested itself not so long ago... "you are either with me or you are against me!" Having only two votes means... one cancels the other and essentially nothing gets done or that every decision is declared unanimous. Granted the two party system isn't exactly a two vote situation but if you try, you can extrapolate to see my point. Is it any wonder this so-called "Middle America" is not represented in the halls of Congress? The "middle" has been treated in DC as the "fringe element" for decades.

There is this saying. "Perception is everything."

I say the truth is, "Perception is everything... but reality."

Now this gets deep.

If you're not into the more personal, philosophical, abstract kind of discussion I recommend you skip down now to the Heading, "It's Not My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To"

One must realize, our political spectrum is routinely represented as a linear scale. It is a colossal mistake to accept this premise. Our political spectrum is not a mere right or left situation. People (voters) are not merely "either or."

Real people must not be reduced to two-dimensional paper dolls.

I see, what has historically been called "the two extremes," to be more of an apex to a pyramid of collective ideas and social mindsets. The perceived "broader base" is made of shared or common ideas. Yet, these ideas are base, unrefined. These ideas do not aspire to anything. They accept status quo... until, as history proves time and time again, it is too late to rise up and actually challenge the resulting powers that be. It becomes difficult to challenge those that gain their power via their appeal to apathy... rather than aspiration.

I believe this so-called base is basically too tired, hopeless, fearful and/or distracted to attempt to make a difference... thus the voter turn-out our two party system has "inspired" is abysmal. Our expectations are so low, a 60% voter turnout in a national election is applauded.

The U.S. ranked 34th of 36 democracies in a voter turnout study that spanned 35 years from 1960 to 1995.

Voter Turnout

Source: Wikipedia

Toward the apex, the perceived "fringe" elements make noise. That would be those grassroots sort of folks - folks like us, Patriots for Peace, environmentalists and your run-of-the-mill ne'r-do-wells (As so-oft called). To me, this apex, only represents the masses in terms of their silent support for our efforts and that is a sad, but true, fact and a fact attributable to the reasons stated above; hopelessness, fear and etc.

The apex, to me, is an apex of social justice. A high point of ideas promoting human dignity. Surrounding the visible apex is this curiously invisible support of the masses typically thought to be existing only below, down near the base with no thoughts in their heads. But the down-trodden are right here with us, if only in silent spirit. They are too oppressed and or distracted to voice or show their support but you and I know they are there.

If and when you have the rare opportunity to sit down to a heart to heart with these folks you find out many of them share in a longing for social justice and other ideas that lift human dignity and account for future generations' well-being. These quiet bodies have desires and spirits quite akin to the rebel's own. I believe the few, in terms of body count, that can be seen at the apex are the activists willing to be seen as the embodiment of ideas that actually arise from the base. Those small numbers attending Iraq war protests surely must understand this pyramid of which I speak. Supportive drive-by horns are blown by thousands who dare not stop and park their cars, get out and "stand" on the sidewalk.

This brings up the three-dimensional (3-D) aspect of the "idea pyramid" or the "pyramid idea" however you wish to think of it. People are at least 3-D in their thoughts, hopes and dreams (i.e., politics). Multi-dimensional best describes people (voters) who have been squeezed into our two-party system's linear cattle chute of sorts. I say "chute" with intent. A chute channels things from a higher to a lower level.

Our voters have been chuted all the way down to this level... "Rs" on the right - "Ds" on the left.

Republicans on the right and Democrats on the left: Think about this. This right /left mindset has become the chute. In spite of all the ingredients in the collective soup of Democratic politics folks are placed in one of two categories. Republican & Democrat or Right & Left. What a course distinction, indeed. Most sale barn cattle receive greater respect with greater distinctions of their qualities and characteristics.

This cattle chute two-party system is a convenient set up for pollsters and politicians but a nightmare for voters and all citizens really, voting or not.

Any given voter may hold values on the so-called right in one sense and on the so-called left in another sense. In fact, such a voter may hold extreme values on both left and right ends of this contrived and over-simplified linear political spectrum. This fact does not make the voter crazy but our two-party culture has its way of making a voter like this feel totally insane for having such a strange mix of right/left views. In reality its necessarily a strange mix at but a rather healthy assembly of values. Our two-parties , however want to make you feel absolutely crazy however. This is their quite effective way of making one choose "R" or "D" or "right" or "left."

Why are not voters offered more latitude to "be" multi-dimensional. What about front and back and/or high and low? Noooo! Cries the two-party machine... make them choose... Right or Left!!!

Voters are confused and understandably, alienated. Some feel it is them... that they are just incapable of making an intelligent decision. Others, hanging on to their self-confidence know better and simply choose not to participate in what they correctly perceive as a flawed system.

Those tired, confused, and oppressed masses, perceived to be content with status quo, I am convinced, are not content and generally feel much like the rebels at the apex feel... but the fatigue and general fear of life allow them to delegate the rebels to assume the risks inherent in the dangerous business of change. This is not an indictment of those who are content to vote the party line, in the absence of thought concerning the individual candidate. We must recognize and be sympathetic to the fact that life can and does beat folks down... physically, emotionally, and mentally. This resulting oppression (depression) of thought is often taken into the voting booth if, that is, the individual is even physically or emotionally able to get to the polls. Others like us, for reasons unique to each, choose to fight it out to the end.

I hope you continue to indulge my deeper, more personal expressions. After all, they say "all politics is local." It does not get much more local than the individual. Most individuals, in this so-called free society dare not express deep feelings or convictions unless they are in line with capitalistic expectations or other so-called social norms. We all know this to be true. We know we dare not regularly go into our workplaces and denounce rogue capitalism. We simply dare not... even some of the most dedicated activists dare not.

My conscience.. and perhaps a healthy bit of insanity, drives me. I truly feel compassion for those too tired to battle the fruits of status quo... fruits like poverty, fear, injustice, prejudice, war and you know the list. They are the ones most oppressed by status quo, yet least equipped to fight it. I have been one of those "too tired to fight." Only in the last 15 or so years have my eyes been opened and my spirit been freed to act. I still fight this fatigue... every day of my life. But for some reason, I cannot seem to shut the hell up. I suppose this fact irritates more folks than I'll ever know.

In fact, the fight has become one of my few motivations for carrying on. For this mostly unexplained turn of events in my life, as painful and time consuming as it has been, I am truly thankful for the change. Perhaps having kids of my own has a great deal to do with my need to keep fighting for justice.

~
Beyond the Doorstep ~ So what... if I provide my children a loving and opulent home yet do nothing to better the world I must, inevitably, deliver them to.
Duane Short ~ June 3, 2001


It's Not My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To

The politics of Democracy is not simple... but, the complexity of politics is precisely my point. Simply introducing a third significant party will not solve Democracy's dilemma.

Below is my take on how to simplify and more importantly purify, not so much the process, but the essence of Democracy's politics.

Following is an examination of our present national "two-party" political mindset and a peek into a no-party option. If we simply must label things we could call it the One Earth Party. What more unifying common ground is there?

Our present political reality dictates we are forced, in far too many cases, to choose "the lesser evil" when our choices are limited to Republican (R) & Democrat (D) candidates.

Our dilemma occurs when a third, clearly superior choice, is out there but is "perceived" to have little to no chance of winning (only because enough voters to get this candidate elected are silently thinking, in error, this candidate has little to no chance of winning).

Think of how sad this is for the third party candidate not to mention the majority that defeated him or her, in their heads, before the polls ever opened.

Like I said... the truth is, "Perception is everything... but reality."

On the surface and in terms of immediate gratification, "who wants to throw away their vote(s) on candidate(s) who will not win?" This is sad for everyone concerned... except for those devoted to R & D party perpetuation.

Perhaps, more than any other time in recent history, our nation is in serious trouble and we have serious problems that need to be solved immediately.

We cannot solve our problems "immediately" by voting for excellent, intelligent candidates we know can't win. But what we don't really know is that they cannot win. We have been programmed to assume they cannot win.

So here we are again, left with the choice who, in far too many cases, is merely the "lesser of two evils."

I subscribe to the axiom, "the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and each time expect a different result."

Since the 60's progressives have been trying to "take back" the Democrat party, have we not? In almost 50 years what has been accomplished? What progressives have accomplished in their effort to "take back" the Democrat Party is the Bush Administration, a dozen years of Republican control of congress, and the well known litany of domestic and international disasters we now face.

Our mindset has to be... at least, to get in our Democratic candidates faces, with a finger up their nose and tell them they had better represent the majority that elects them or they are out the door. Our mindset at best, must be to vote our conscience. We must keep front and center in our consciousness that when there is a third party candidate who we know would vote more consistently in line with Democratic values than do most "Democrats," we must vote for that "scary" third party candidate.

Grandpa, grandma, great-grandpa and ... oh wait, great-grandma was not permitted to vote... may do a 360 in their graves but I am confident this conscientious vote will be a breath of fresh air and step forward for humanity, even if the footprint is not a mule's or elephant's.

There are two issues that never seem to go away and these serve, well, the long-term political security of the R & D parties.

1) Time & Turmoil: As full and mid-term elections approach our nation seemingly is always in a state of turmoil. As now, the turmoil is quite real. Often the chaos is little more than political hoopla inherent at election time. The more chaos perceived by voters the more like they are to keep their incumbents. The old flawed adage, "don't change horses in the middle of the stream" mentality kicks in.

Both R & D parties know this. They know it well. Today's Iraq war and all the trouble around the globe favors Democrat incumbents as much (if not more) as it favors the Republican incumbents. Both parties know this.

Yet, incumbents led us into this mess, both R & D.

The plea... "this is not the time to introduce other alternatives" is heard during every election cycle. So far, this plea has worked quite well to maintain status quo and to keep the Republicans and Democrats secure in their bubbles.

2) Party Loyalty: Loyalty has its place. It offers some measure of stability in society. It also offers some measure of complacency among recipients of the loyalty. Loyalty offers our (essentially) two party system a great deal of security and creates an atmosphere of complacency, an atmosphere of power, an atmosphere of invincibility.

I make it a point to "extend the logic" of whatever idea I contemplate for its merit.

The full extension of party loyalty is seen in nations like N. Korea.

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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
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One-way loyalty, is a circumstance best suited for abusive masters of dogs. The notion is quite convenient... unless you're the abused dog.

I remained loyal to my childhood religious "affiliation" for many years beyond my conscience's voice compelling me to make a change... remember that definition of insanity? My dilemma was, I refused to stop learning but continued to remain affiliated. I could have simply stopped learning and have swept the pain of change under the cloak of "staying the course."

I could have chosen willful ignorance and the bliss of status quo. I chose to accept the change my living heart, mind, and soul presented me. I chose to allow my heart, mind and soul to continue to live and grow, in spite of the pain and other costs accrued.

Change requires letting go.

Maybe we forget, we are not electing men and women to represent a party. We elect them to represent "we the people." People are mere flesh and blood vehicles and mouthpieces through which we expect representation. If a given elected official dies... the greatest tragedy would be if the ideas this official stood for, in representation of his constituents, died as well.

We should be voting for ideas, not pretty faces, party pride, or Daddy Morebucks. So many do just this sort of voting.

I am quite certain, I embrace very nearly the same social ideals as most of you receiving this missive. It is these ideas I embrace, not a given party label or candidate that proclaims sole ownership of these ideas and an exclusive ability to deliver them to the masses.

So why parties at all? I know why, at least according to R & D incumbents; to maintain status quo. So again, I ask, "why?"

My torment is this. Do I keep doing what has not been working for progressives since the 1960s?

Do I ignore the definition of insanity which is "to do the same thing over and over again and each time expect a different result?"

I must confess, I (perhaps inherently) am not a party loyalist. Never have been. For various reasons, I have been all over the political map in my life. I doubt there is a party I have not voted for. Hold on there Negroponte, I have never vote for a "commy."

Yes, I voted for Reagan! Once. Reagan, certainly brought me out of my political stupor. I try to give credit where credit is due.

Folks, I know the change I am suggesting is much easier for me than for party loyalists.

Folks can feel free to use my fickle voting record, if they choose, to discount my thoughts.

In short, all of us must vote our conscience. Until we do, pure Democracy is never going to even approach being a reality.

We must vote, period.

I am sure you realize the United States of America, a supposed Democracy, has not had a majority rule federal governance once in its entire existence. To have a true majority every eligible voter must vote. That has never happened, at the national level, in our nation's history.

At best, the majority of those that choose to vote determines who will govern. With exceptions of the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, recent decades have seen a slip in the percentage of eligible voter turnout. True majority rule in the USA is a myth.

Pure Democracy requires every eligible voter to vote.

Pure Democracy is predicated on a majority rule premise.

Pure Democracy requires every eligible voter to vote their conscience.

Pure Democracy requires every eligible voter to vote their conscience, not to strategize their vote.

When strategizing, one's conscience necessarily becomes compromised with, well... with politics.

For example, a political vote could be:

- Voting for an incumbent, in time of war, when one knows another candidate better represents one's conscience. This is an example of compromising one's conscience in capitulation to one's politics or political mythology.

- Voting for a party, when one knows another candidate better represents one's conscience. This is yet another example of compromising one's conscience in capitulation to one's politics.

Resisting the urge to compromise one's conscience and convictions actually produces the purest form of collective compromise. If everyone votes one conscience the best possible compromise is reached. If everyone votes political strategy who knows how the stew of politics will taste. Purity begets purity. Politics beget politics.

When politics becomes the "majority" (as it has) we achieve what we now have in Washington DC. We have, in essence, two parties doing what they were elected to do, represent two parties. A party hell-bent to represent their party is a snake eating its tail. We have two such examples coming into ever sharper focus since the elections of 2000. Fully 96% (an interesting irony.. 96, 69) of CNN viewers recently stated they felt the Bush Administration and Congress had left them worse off than they were in 2000.

This current state of the nation is of course not as simple as blaming it solely on a two party system... or is it? Toss in corporate funding of elections, Diebold, voter intimidation, a deceit incited preemptive war and you know the litany and the state of the nation is seen to be a web of deceit and corruption... and all of these problems developed under the watch of... two major parties.

What? Who would suggest that if we continue to enable these two parties to rule, in perpetuity, the above sorts of problems go away. I must confess, my conscience thinks not.

I heard once upon a time, "there's no real revolution... just power changing hands." I believe this to be true. The answer to this dilemma is to make sure power keeps changing hands before those hands gain enough power to invoke their political will and war... at will.

I am including the entire Badfinger Perfection lyrics (as I have done before) because the words ring true with each new generation. But is humankind destined to repeat these lyrics? Cannot humankind honor the latter part of its own name? I will die believing we can at least do much better than we are doing on this date, July 15, 2006. I don't care if it takes two parties or two billion parties, I know we humans can do better. It is purely a matter of will to find a way.


Perfection

Lyrics

by

Badfinger

There is no real perfection
There'll be no perfect day
Just love is our connection
The truth in what we say

There's no good revolution
Just power changing hands
There is no straight solution
Except to understand

CHORUS:
So listen to my song of life
You don't need a gun or a knife
Successful conversation will take you very far

There is no real perfection
There'll be no perfect man
Just peace is our connection
Forgiving all you can

There's no good kind of killing
Just power taking life
It's all good blood that's spilling
To make a bigger knife

CHORUS

Successful conversations will take you very far

CHORUS

Successful conversations will take you very far
Successful conversations will take you very far


Surely some of you recall these Badfinger lyrics.

I believe our Democracy is at a crossroads. My intellect and heartfelt conviction is that it is time to vote conscience... and conscience only.

Call Me a Party Animal Cracker but...

I say, forget party labels. They mean so little at this point in our history.

Wearing a label or not, one voted into office still votes in local, state and national governing bodies... and we all hope she or he votes consistent with the collective conscience and ideas of those who voted her or him in office. Sadly, we know this often not the case. Once in office, Corporate America, has their ear and their vote.

Wearing no label might sound a bit anarchist. Think about this.

Voting conscience instead of politics? Politics obscures conscience... and I would argue that this assertion is a given... an irrefutable law of nature.

A candidate voted into office by voters voting in an atmosphere of truly fickle political shenanigans cannot truly know who his or her constituents are.

Voting a party ticket, folks, is the most aggressive form of political voting. Corporate America (CA) loves this sense of ambiguity created by predominantly political voting. Why? CA, having financed the winner (no matter the party - since they donate to both campaigns) become the only identifiable constituent of the elected official. Those voting a party ticket are telling the candidate, I don't give a rat's ass what you stand for or how you will vote... dammit, you're a gol'darn Republican / Democrat and that is good enough for me.

Is it any wonder DC is a "Bubble" about to pop?

If Americans will begin to simply vote conscience, a collective conscience of the majority will emerge.

As long as voters continue to epitomize the definition of insanity i.e., "to do the same thing over and over again and each time expect a different result" we will get what we vote for... insanity.

Elected officials in Washington DC... Springfield, Illinois... Frankfort, Kentucky... and etc. (48 times over) are as their constituents' voting habits would indicate... utterly, irrefutably insane.

My own fallen hero (psst... I really don't have heroes), Illinois Senator, Barak Obama (D) is rallying Democrats to embrace evangelicals. My hero is (un)clearly thinking... if it worked for the Republicans maybe it will work for the Democrats. Obama might still be considered a hero by and for the Democrats.

He is no longer my hero Democrat. My heroes do not pander for votes. My heroes speak their conscience and allow the voters to choose the winner. They then graciously accept the results, win or lose. Maybe this is just Obama stubbing his toe... I hope so but I am nervous about him now. What are they putting in the water there in Washington? Whatever it is it kills the brain except for Broca's Area (the speech area of the brain).

Vote your conscience... not your party.

END

Duane Short
July 17, 2006
============================


Friends,

In case you did not receive the missive that preceded the one above here it is (below).

Duane
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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 "preemptive 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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