it has been pointed out repeatedly throughout history that power has a corrupting influence... and having a docile following that votes blindly is one way that politicians start to believe in their "entitlement". This is not a new thing... it has been going on since the our government achieved stability following the Revolution ... but has anyone ween the Whig party on a ballot lately?

My parents were Republicans for decades and my brother went the same way... I always declared myself a GDI (god damned independent)... but tended to favor a more progressive outlook - you know supporting life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for everyone, not just the favored few.

My feeling about our government is that it works better than many others because the system of checks and balances are really designed to prevent human nature from sowing the seeds of its own destruction. Man's inhumanity to man is not a fable... we see it every day on the news. Our democratic system arose during the period known as the Age of Enlightenment... and our founding fathers were the intellectuals of their day. Still riddled with human flaws, but able to use reason to try and create a better system for themselves and their descendents.

The major goal of the present administration should be to prevent radicals and the greedy from dismantling the checks and balances that keep the system chugging along.

The party that was founded by abolishionists and had one the more progressive presidents in Teddy Roosevelt has been coopted by the former Dixiecrats turned Conservatives (bringing with them their long history of disenfranchisement)and some of the most radical nut jobs I've seen in some time... though I do admit to missing out on Hitler & Mussolini.

There have been mass "migration" of US citizens from one part of the country to another in the past - folks in search of a better life. If the so called Red states continue on their path... don't be surprised if other states take advantage and lure folks to them... and the elected representation with them.

Even now the current Republicans in office are looking into a reality that isn't in their favor... and looking to try and fix things... (in time??? who knows.)

The most encouraging thing I've seen is the long lines of people who made sure they got to vote... this in a country that has low voter turnout for some time now... well you get scared enough, you take action.