Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, Jim McDermott, Jamie Pederson, for openers, some legislators I know personally. But I could go on and build a pretty long list.

There are a lot of honest politicians.

Smartass cynicism is a dead-end street. It's easy to simply say, "Oh, hell, they're all just a bunch of crooks." But it's the sign of someone who doesn't bother to think come election time. If he votes at all.

It takes some intelligence and awareness of what's going on to pick out the honest candidates from the rest and vote for them. Dismissing them all is the lazy ploy of someone who feels he can shut off his mind (if any) and go out for a beer, while other people are deciding who should run the country.

That doesn't stop him from incessant bitching and complaining, however.

Don Firth