Anon- Of course I would never actually turn in a commenter to the Feds for merely being annoying, but I think your cowardice is simply apalling. It’s pretty easy to spew your own B.S. while hiding under your rock of anonymity. Grow up and grow a pair and stand firmly behind what you think or leave the comments to people who at least assume some kind of identity.

Anon- There is no “you people” writing on this blog. Aside from the comments of my readers, there is just me, Ken Grandlund, the author of every post on this web site. And yes…I do believe what I write. On the otherhand, you are too cowardly to even use your real name to stand behind what you say.

Be careful…if I decided that your comment was meant simply to annoy me, I could refer you to the federal government. There is a new law signed by the president that makes “annoying comments” over the internet a federal crime. Of course, this is probably the president you voted for. (And believe me…he has ways of finding out who you REALLY are.)

Kathryn- Sadly, party politics keep people with visions different from the party platform out before they can offer thier vision. Kucinich obviously had a good platform of his own, but was drowned out by the party machine, offering citizens less choice than they deserve. Thanks for dropping by.

Windspike- I think that the nature of congress today requires more than just outing the incumbents in favor of the other party. After all, Democrats are a sculpable for the problems we face today since they’ve done little to stop the republican onslaught for the last 10 years. We need real people who aren’t party stooges.

Shea- Thanks.

Pat- I’m not exclusively talking about presidential politics- after all, without a congress full of sycophants, the pres is only so powerful. third party politicians or true independents can offer a wall against the excesses of both parties, but only if they are elected. put some independents in congress and things could change. it’s also an easier position to elect non party hacks to.

eko- i agree with your thought here- we need a broad based movement at the bottom of the federal ladder- elect enough independents to congress and change can occur.

snave- you’re welcome. i believe that you can despise the machinations of government while still wanting the best for America. Clinton wasn’t always right now was he?

Rev- thanks for dropping by. yes, it will take more than just voting for new blood, but if the new blood is truly of the people and can energize more people to get involved, it is a start.

mike- i can’t speculate what might have been. i see what is and it’s not pretty. we need a paradigm shift in thinking about how we work our government, something that can only be achieved when real people take the reins for a while.

hammer- yes, it is our own fault for returning time and again the same people who really don’t care about helping people as much as they do keeping power. thanks for dropping by.

rev- unless of course you elect enough “non-k street” adherents who aren’t listening to special interests but to the people and who have and use common sense.

only in the most superficial ways are you correct. remember the “no-teeth” fight clinton gave Kyoto? all fuss and no muscle. you do not get it my friend. the lever does not do the job, that is for lazy assess. If k street clients do not want a bill passed (Kyoto) it does not get passed. the real power lies there. it does not matter who you elect. until you get k street on your side (and you can) only superficial changes will occur. until you get this, you will only be involved in a tennis match for idiots.

He talks about our constant distraction with foreign affairs. He talks about the manufacture of consent from the ‘free’ man to remain in his oppressive chains as long as he feels he is “at peace” with the world. (I mean, how easy is it to feel at peace when someone tells you that you are!).

Anyway, you might like to read his essays (if you havent’ already).

Keep blogging!

Hammer

You write:

“Government was created to provide certain basic needs of society. It provides public security. It regulates and enforces laws. It creates and regulates an economic base for business and labor. It provides some level of infrastructure. It defends the inherent rights of humanity, namely freedom of religion and thought and the chance for a happy life. Everything that our government does should fall into one of those main categories.”

I agree with you 100%.

Bill Clinton said “You can’t say you love your country but hate your government.” Well, I suppose a person could say that, but if they say they hate the government, do they then hate the things the government provides?