There you go again, Doug. Being part of the problem. Of course we are going to get someone better than GWB. There's not a single candidate out there currently running who is the heartless weasel than GW is.
We got GWB because only 55% of registered voters bothered to vote. The Dem base is a joke. A large chunk of the Dem base consistently doesn't even vote.
We cannot begin to change anything as long as we don't participate in the process.
GWB might not have ended up president in 2000 or 2004 had enough people gotten involved and off their lazy behinds and voted.
If you want to change the system the first thing you need to do is stop looking back at the S**T and start looking forward. There are a lot of good choices.
This country has withstood a lot over the 200 plus years. But it will not previal if its citizens turn their back on the process. Because the rich are going to vote. They have a vested interest in voting. If the poor sit back and don't vote, that effects all of us who do. The only thing the little guy can do to make a difference in his life in this country is to vote.
2000 and 2004 proved how important it is for people to get involved. There are a lot of people who care about this country and it's future. Unfortunately, we're stuck in this mess because the only people who vote are rich or angry and the rest are too apathetic to even pay attention.
Who can blame them with column like this!

anthny
We have abandoned all hope, It happened sometime in the late 70's.
We the so-called Baby Boomers kind of grew up when we realized that we lacked any power in this faux democracy.
And to all the Boomers who remained Ignorant of our situation, Got good jobs, bought houses, and raised families, they began to realize the American Dream, and even elected an Actor to be President.

"Our government is dominated by leaders controlled by* greed, a thirst for power and an uncontrollable lust - a dangerous combination in any situation but both deadly and volatile in politics."
*Add to the list is my own take, some would call it Fascism, The little Dictator Benito Mussolini called it Corporationism.

The North American Prosperity Union, which will be put in place by the end of 2012 was the whole point of this story that began sometime after WWl, the New World Order are the new rulers of the United States of America.

". . . , trading ethics for money and principles for power. I've yet to meet a human being who can resist. Such a person may not exist."

Evidently you have neither met Ron Paul nor checked his record. You are right about the rest of the gaggle of contenders, however.

Personally, I don’t care how much people spend on their candidates. I often wish I had millions to spend on the one candidate who speaks for my agenda. Very few here at CHB appreciate my agenda of limited government because it takes away from others who claim they need the hand outs. If our education in America offered graduates who were able to earn a living, then the handouts would not be necessary. I’ve been criticized for this statement but I know it to be the truth!

I believe our American voters have an extremely diverse concept of our Constitution and we cannot blame them as so many Presidents have stomped all over the rules and set new ones to get voters.

I realize that many here at CHB want free health care. Many want free College for their kids and I wonder how they want to pay for this. Are we willing to give to all, this free stuff and find ourselves back in the late 60s with welfare at an all time high? Will we end up working simply to pay our taxes for all the freebies we wanted?

Do we want a government run on the New Testament or the Constitution? Those choices are already available for the primaries. We saw a wave of Christians enter the voting booths after Clinton showed us what sex in the oval office was. He was not the first to “score” in that office and he won’t be the last. These new waves of Christians are after a series of Amendments to the Constitution to make women and homosexuals pay for their sins in prison. Those candidates are all over the Conservative choices.

Doug is right, we are too late to make any corrections as we have little knowledge of what all these promises of free this and free that will cost us in the long run. We seem to need social rules offered by the Religious Right and we also saw them invade a nation illegally. We saw them claim this was a religious war and our troops were sacrifices to Jesus Christ. This is not good!

Only a small handful of us want a limited government with all the trimmings such as individual rights and liberties. I do not want the Socialism touted by the Democrats who promise to take care of us from the crib to the grave. I do not want the Religious Right who promises to take care of our souls from the crib to the grave. Where the hell is the freedom found in our Constitution?

We must decide what government we want before we even send a dime to any candidate.

As far as I am concerned you all are part of the problem. Cynical, angry, spiteful. No wonder we are where we are.
GET OVER IT! Either shut up or become part of the solution!

Pollchecker, the only one angry, spiteful and cynical is you! Many of us believe we have the solution but you are too strung out to see it. You offer nothing and have a fit with anyone else offers something of value.

I believe that I have offered many suggestions over the past year. In fact I have offered suggestions that have actually materialized, have you? I am just tired of people not voting for whatever reason. We all have to live with the effects of people not voting. And the crying and complaining doesn't help get people interested in voting.
I am WAY PAST what you called me! But unfortunately from what I read, many MANY others apparently aren't!

Time to stick my finger in your eye... Paul may be the "internet darling" and be the receiver of more money than anyone would have believed - now. But he is not a playa, never has been and never will be. Part of his appeal is that he is not beholding to the special interests (or it has not been proven as yet). Not saying he is, not saying he isn't - just don't know. My point is that those special interests, those that effectively control the election process are not interested in him becoming a playa. IF he should start to become a factor I believe that the special interests will protect their interests and make him a non-factor. That is why he will never become an issue for the special interests to mworry about. I believe that they are not above anything when it comes to protecting their interests and right now their interests in putting someone in power who they control.

So, if you believe that just showing up with "numbers" at the polls will be enough I suggest that there were enough "numbers" in 2000 and 2004 to have kept GWB out of office. Guess what? I believe that the election process has been compromised and corrupted beyond fixing without the complete redesign of the system. And I don't believe that is going to be allowed to happen. There is too much money involved and "we" don't have it - and when the special interests get through manipulating the stock market and the dollar we will never be allowed to have it. If I sound pessimistic, well, I am. I've been watching this stuff for too long and I am no longer fooled by the facade they've built around what they are doing. I've taken a peek behind the curtain.

I love this country. I gave them much over the years. I gave them friends I would have died for in a foreign jungle we had no business being involved in - as we are involved in a foreign desert we slso have no business being involved in. I see wishful talk - looking for a savior to get us out of this morass but guess what: he/she/it does not exist. There was a line in one of those classic cult movies that I believe is appropriate: "What we need now is a good old-fashioned natural castastrophe..." I used to read all those "after the collapse" novels where the "good guys" rise to the salvation of humanity... Sorry, I don't have much faith in humanity anymore. I'm afraid that after the collapse this time salvation is NOT going to be found on aisle 7 at Wal-Mart or at the 7-11. But, as always, FWIW, that is just this old curmudgeon's opinion.

The Second Coming of Humanity doesn't appear to be on the horizon.

"We the People" has changed to "Let the other Person".

If one doesn't make responsible (or makes no) choices and decisions for one's self...then most likely someone else will make those choices and decisions for them. The outcome or consequences of that isn't usually liked by those who surrendered their rights to make their own choices and decisions resulting from irresponsibility and or apathy.

The fall of the American Empire use to be listed under the societal category of "Impossible". How does the possibility look now? It appears that the majority of American citizens have surrendered to the government their rights to make choices and decisions. You know...the government, that has now become "The Other Person".

I do not know when organized crime took over the government, or when the government took over organized crime, but there are not too many political faces that do not belong on wanted posters. Until the current group of politicians are held accountable for their crimes, it will do no good to replace them with anouther.

Austin, you are again right! Politically I have not changed in my agenda since the early 60s. I want a limited government as it is it only way I can feel free. I know that many others are with me. Ron Paul is the only candidate I trust to stay away from the special interests that we talk about.

I have many friends who have been involved in politics as long as I have and they are still waiting for whatever is decided after the primaries. I cannot wait for that as so few, if not just one, speaks for me.

I do not need a big government. I paid for everything by working non-stop until the last of my kids were out of college. I thought I would be able to retire with my investments and found they were not nearly as good as I thought. I'm not whining and have simply down- sized my life style. It doesn't bother me at all. I did manage to develop kids who grew up not looking for handouts from anyone. They are all well off, well adjusted and do the handing out to others who need it.

I do not need some slimy congressman/ex preacher to tell me how to live a decent life as my grandparents gave me that. My end game has always been to develop our individual freedoms giving every American the right to choose how they live and how they die.

I believe we can make a change for the better but only if we get out and vote for the one candidate who owes nothing to anyone. He is not running on the Christian agenda, he is not running for Socialism and is determined to bring out the best of our U.S. Constitution. He knows the war in Iraq is not legal or moral but is only to make millions for many who are behind our President.

I'm not going to run down any of the candidates but it is clear to me that the others are running for special interests of all the pressure points that come up every election. There is not one damn thing wrong with our Constitution except that few in D.C. are willing to work for it.

I believe that Ron Paul will work for the freedoms found in our U.S. Constitution.

anthny
@Curmudgeon, well said.
If Ron Paul were some how in the running there would be some kind of problem with the vote or the plane he was riding on would disappear.
I for some odd reason don't trust Ron Paul.
As most politicians tell us what we want to hear and then do what they were designed to do by there backers.
In todays election process, there is the unseen hand of cumputer hackers.
When Bush braged about his mandate after the exit polls said he was losing the election by 4% he turned it around in the mid morning and magicly won by 4%. So trusting the elctions are part of the problem.

Even if Paul were somehow elected I think he would walk into the Presidency as a lame duck. Basically an independent he'd have few allies to work with. Additionally, other than his antiwar stance and how we got into this mess, the rest of his political views could be a disaster for this country.

In my view the only candidate who makes sense is Dennis Kucinich, and of course he's got less of a chance than Paul!

I disagree with Pollchecker's initial post about there not being any other heartless weasles running. Guliani is by far the worst candidate out there and may be more dangerous than the lunatic we have in office now. My god, I'd even vote for Hillary before Guliani!

Giving up is easy, especially if you can convince yourself that YOU aren't to blame, that you can't make a difference. Giving up the good fight before it's over is also, to my mind, pure chicken shit.

OUR nation is headed in the wrong direction, and has been for some time now. It's not "the administrations" fault, nor is it the fault of congress. The fault is OURS - that's right - US - you know - the people who live, die, pay taxes, work, retire - US. Our collective apathy got this nation into the condition it is in today, our apathy about politics at all levels, our unwillingness to do our own research, to learn about the issues on our own, to engage in the business of this nation.

As such, we, the collective, are the only ones who can change the direction. We're not going to bring a savior to the oval room in January of 2009, far from it, we'll bring another human being, with all the flaws that comes with being one. However, we, as the collective, as the ones responsible for electing those representatives do have the power to bring about change. We're the only ones who can.

And I'm not just talking politics - when you see someone broken down by the side of the road do you stop and lend a hand or just keep driving - with the assumption that "someone else" will help? Engagement starts at the individual level - as does selfishness and "me-ism". Before you blast the "leadership" and blame "them" for everything look at your own life - under the same critical eye.

Get involved - politically, socially, professionally - whatever - start at the community level and see if your involvement doesn't attract others - plant the seed - help it grow - nurture it - as though it was a child. Start a movement. Exclude NO ONE - embrace the differences but focus on getting others involved in the discussion, in the actions and you might just start a ground-swell that'll make this nation a better place to life.

If you're willing to give up, well, that's your right I suppose, but in the 48 years I've spent on this earth I've never seen a need to give up, nor to shun those who I don't agree with or understand nor to pass by those in trouble.

Socially involved people are far more likely to vote in a considered and educated way than the loners or detatched, maybe through your efforts others who are on the verge of giving up will change their minds - and the minds of those with whom they engage.

It doesn't take much - but as I see it - until I start taking my final dirt nap, the cause is not lost.

Peace

Steve

Bravo Steve. You sound like my grandfather did right after Pearl Harbor. He pulled our Village of Santa Monica together to help our troops win the war!

Even thought he despised President Roosevelt, he went to work for Civil Defense and organized lots of things to support our troops.

BEARS REPEATING

From Steve Horn:

"QUOTE" OUR nation is headed in the wrong direction, and has been for some time now. It's not "the administrations" fault, nor is it the fault of congress. The fault is OURS - that's right - US - you know - the people who live, die, pay taxes, work, retire - US. Our collective apathy got this nation into the condition it is in today, our apathy about politics at all levels, our unwillingness to do our own research, to learn about the issues on our own, to engage in the business of this nation.

As such, we, the collective, are the only ones who can change the direction. We're not going to bring a savior to the oval room in January of 2009, far from it, we'll bring another human being, with all the flaws that comes with being one. However, we, as the collective, as the ones responsible for electing those representatives do have the power to bring about change. We're the only ones who can.

And I'm not just talking politics - when you see someone broken down by the side of the road do you stop and lend a hand or just keep driving - with the assumption that "someone else" will help? Engagement starts at the individual level - as does selfishness and "me-ism". Before you blast the "leadership" and blame "them" for everything look at your own life - under the same critical eye. "UNQUOTE"

Touche' Steve...Touche'. If only America to rise to that standard again, but ...????

Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it.

Respectfully,

AustinRanter

Thanks Doug for your spot-on, pragmatic rant concerning the order of the day!

With an astronomical public debt of 9.7 trillion dollars hanging over this nations head along with a projected 12 trillion deficit by 2012, I'd say the Mayan Calendar is correct at least relative to the collapse of a worldwide, consumeristic paradigm both created and maintained by the West, especially the U.S. with derivative fallout and consequences to the peoples of the world.

There's too many people, and too little resources for this dog and pony show to continue. Little does China and India realize they are a day late; both, yuan and a rupee short, regardless of their imagined financial success... :))

Hopefully an asteroid incoming will solve the worlds collective sore-arch problem and if not an asteroid, our own tools of destruction will facilitate a great thinning of the herd.

People are welcome to become upset with my prognosis, but it's going to happen and the world clock is now in the countdown mode to midnight.

This is an old, old world, and the real estate will survive just fine, but the homo sapiens herd is due for a great thinning if not a well-deserved extinction for not treating their habitat with more reverence.

Voting is a waste of time and it's truly too late to turn this voyage to the bottom back. I saw a bumper sticker a few years back. "Don't vote it only encourages them"... :)) How true!

So my advice is for folks to enjoy the few remaining moments of their existence in the cosmic night and quit fretting about necessary change with none to come.

We reached critical mass with the assassination of Kennedy and the 40+ years since his death it's been a downhill slide for this great nation with evermore corrupt leaders being elected to the presidency. Reagan was the Republican Trojan horse; ie., Mr. Jellybean, "aw shucks" at the helm while his V.P. H.W. Bush, Mr. CIA, Mr. "Skull and Bones", Mr. New World Order and his family were on the fast track to implementing globalist plans to finally destroy this once great republic with the end result being the end of a world paradigm as we know it.

It's truly the "twilights last gleaming" for this once great nation.

Carl Nemo **==

Well said Carl,but I think I'll keep my powder dry and at least go out on my shield.Devil take the hindmost, for want shall be their master.

Carl, you bring up a very valid point and I have wondered for years if Reagan had any knowledge of what G.H.W. Bush had in mind when he was elected to follow him in the White House. I heard rumors that the two men were not friendly and often wondered if Reagan could have stopped the neoconservative movement that would eventually destroy the Republican Party and America's security.

The Reagan supporters were not gung ho on the United Nations and the One World Order was a simple step into global governance that would destroy America.

I have felt guilty for many years writing in a name for President and this time I will vote for Paul in the Primay and will write him in in November if he does not make it.

I will not cave into to the Socialism that seems to be oozing into American politics. I probably have one or two more Presidential elections left and I will not waste them.

Bravo Steve Horn,thanks for another great post!
It brought to mind a couple of my favorite quotes...

"If not me,who? And,if not now, when?"
Mikhail Gorbachev

“We must become the change we want to see."
Mahatma Gandhi

Before ye completely abandon all hope, please give Bill Richardson a long hard look. Almost as progressive as Kucinich, but without the need for on the job training; which all the other candidates would need. Bill has serious executive experience, truly understands the immigration issue, has an aggressive plan on alternative energy, has negotiated with the tyrants of the world freeing many hostages, would scrap No Child Left Behind, understands the needs of states, and wants to withdraw all troops from Iraq now--not 5 years from now as many others would. He's also pro-gun rights and very electable.
(Ron Paul, although a constitutional defender, would like the marketplace to determine health and safety, instead of a proactive government. I'm not comfortable sacrificing a loved one so that my lawsuit will push the marketplace i.e. big bidness, in the proper direction. I'd like to prevent the injury or death in the first place.)
Please give Bill a look. http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/home
Steve

I view the government as the enemy of the people. You seem to want a proactive government and you will not ever find an honest or truthful action from any level of government. I am not confortable giving the government any control over health care or even security as they have shown they are incapable of doing anything with integrity.

I will look into Richardson's link. thank you.