Hi Nerd,

Enjoy our discussion. I think it's an important one and brings
in some of the needed views.

You say,

"Now, Frank, I know you don't trust the media except when you already agree with them,"

To this I reply, I pride myself on being able to draw my own
conclusions on the information I receive. I believe that this
is being a responsible informed citizen.

Many of the "factoids" that are thrown about so casually these
days need to be investigated in more depth. This is why I eschew information coming from the standard media sources and will often
go to alternative or underground sources for news.

I think that Dean says a lot of things that make sense and I have no desire to belittle them.

These ideas are not original from Dean. They've been around for a long time. Again Kucinich has been consistent from the beginning.

As well as Sharpton and Mosely Braun.


Kerry has derived a lot of his ideas not just from Dean
but from listening to voters. In this, I find him responsive.

But regarding the big money, it's the RNC that has the corner on the market. It's difficult to discuss
things that are really not known and sound like spin. Kennedy and Johnson both had huge lobbying interests but not the size of Bush.

It's a matter of degree.

But here's the great American political dilemma. The very
tools that get a president elected have not much bearing in
how he/she will govern in office. Right now, it takes some
kind of money to make it happen as Dean well knows since he
has raised a considerable amount.

Dean may carp at Kerry but in the end, in order to succeed,
he will have to do the same thing that Kerry does. In the meantime, all the attacks and back-biting will not get a Democrat elected
or Bush out.

My contention is for candidates to give up the attacks and stay
with the issues. Differences can be stated without the implications of "hypocrisy" or "moral high-ground". The nature of politics
today in the US is that no one has the right to a moral high
ground. It's a dirty business and needs reform. One way is to
go after the huge lobbyists that control our democracy today.
Let Dean save his negative campaigning for Bush.

Frank