Now the 2008 election is upon us and what wretched excuses for humanity do the two parties offer us? Queen Hillery? Obama? Huckleberry hound- the Nazi dog from Arkansas who would have sent us all to concentration camps? John "I crashed my plane" McCain? Fred "Law & Order" Thomas?

I agree with you about the two party system, but the problem goes deeper than that, and a lot of the blame falls on the American voter for not taking any action. I mean, we allow the media and the corporate run US government to dictate to us who the front runners are going to be. It's a joke when Republicans and Democrats run against each other because they feed the same monster, but it feels like people who can vote and people who actually have the power to make a change are afraid to do it.

In 2006, America took control of both houses of congress away from the Republicans, but instead of giving power to a so called third party, they handed it to the Democrats . So basically it's six in one hand, half a dozen in the other. I don't understand the citizens of the United States haven't used their vote to send a message to the greedy crooks in charge of both parties that we want our nation back.

However.

I think Obama's win last night was a beacon of hope for this nation. I honestly think he's a genuine person with real convictions, even if his affiliation with the Democrats makes me want to puke. As far as Democrats go, I think he's the cream of the crop, and I'm glad that Edwards and Hillary were turned out like a couple of 10 dollar tricks on the strip. Obama's message of change is a start, and now all we need is for him to actually back his message up with actions.

The only good republican out of the field of losers they out up this year is Ron Paul, but the media and the Republican mob doesn't want him taken seriously. All of his positions are in line with the constitution, but most politicians hate the constitution because its primary function is to limit the power of the federal government. In a day and age when the government wants more power over the citizens, it's no surprise that they do what they can to make him look like a maniac.

Anyway, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Obama. I can't see him losing to any of the Republicans that are running, and while I usually hate Democrats and Republicans with an equal amount of fire, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and see what he has to offer us.

I don't know NJ.

Anyone that wins at this level has an agenda so bland that the oldest old fart in the rest home can stomach it. That's not the kind of medicine that the country needs at the moment. If we're to survive the economic collapse that is coming, we're going to have to take some very bitter medicine and the American people are too dumb and too spoiled to vote for it.

They voters don't want to hear the truth- they will vote for the canidates that say what they want to hear.

The US economy is designed to run on cheap oil and without some voodoo economics, which the republicans are very good at, we simply can't last without major economic consequences with oil at (or over) $100/barrel.

Don't believe me? Have you noticed that everything costs more and the economic indicators dismiss inflation?

I'm inclined to agree with you. I am no economics expert or anything but I think the US could handle the oil costs if it wasn't for the tanking dollar. Which is probably due to the war costing butt loads of money every day. The US is in so much debt now that it has weakened the value of the currency. That should be a good thing for US exports but that hasn't kept the economy going too much.

As for the social direction of the country, well give a country two parties and you don't get a lot of options. Add to that you have politicians that will do anything to get re-elected, thus they will bend their will to anyone with money or to the feel of the majority of the population. So when you have two parties serving the same majority, you get parties with close ideology. Even in Canada where we have 4 somewhat major parties, the two largest parties are on either side of the majority opinion.

Sometimes I just have no faith in democracy at all....it is the rule of the stupid (the majority) and the insane extremists that are eager enough to actually play this game we call politics.

Greg

'That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.'

--declaration of independence