Good analysis, Little Hawk. I agree.

Unfortunately, just about the only viable choices the voters have are candidates affiliated with the two major parties. I know there are those out there, and some here on Mudcat, who get real ticked off at me for saying that, but it's just being hard-headedly realistic. I don't like it any better than they do, but within the context of the configuration, that's what we're stuck with until we manage (somehow!) to change it.

For what I would like to see the country become—or at this point, prevent the country from continuing to become—I will go on voting for the Democratic candidates because to do otherwise will only accelerate the country's slide into corporate imperialism combined with the establishment (contrary to the Constitution) of a state religion (evangelical fundamentalist Christian). Back to the Rome of Constantine and the beginning of a new Dark Ages!

Fortunately, in this mid-term election, Washington State has some pretty good candidates for Congress. Although early on, Maria Cantwell, the state's junior senator, voted for giving Bush war powers (Patty Murray, the senior senator voted against it, and delivered an impassioned speech to Congress as to why they should not, earning her the title of "Taliban Patty" from the Right-Wing), Maria has since developed both a brain and a spine, and is working like a little beaver on environmental and energy issues especially. She's become a real pain in the patoot to those who want to cut down all the forests and pave over them and drill holes everywhere looking for oil. She's gung-ho for developing renewable energy resources. My congressional representative, Jim McDermott, is very anti-war, very pro-single payer universal health care, and a burr under the saddle of those opposed to election reform, which has made him a special target for the Right-Wing's bile. But Jim is pretty much a slam-dunk. In the last election, he got 85% of the votes. Folks in the 7th District like Jim. And there are several other very good candidates from the area. From listening to them being interviewed on the radio, the Republicans in this area seem to be trying to distance themselves from Bush, but when it comes down to cases, they're pretty much a collection of Bush yes-men. So I'll be voting straight Democratic ticket this time around.

In 2008? Remains to be seen. But Barack Obama was in town a few days ago. I heard him being interviewed several times, and although he won't come right out and say he's game to run, he won't deny it either. He's quite progressive, is as yet unspoiled by the system and is fully aware of the traps, knows where the bodies are buried, he's sharp, articulate, quick on his feet, and has one helluva sense of humor. He knows where his towel is. I don't know how he'd play in the Confederate South, but if he runs in 2008, I'd sure vote for him.

In ancient Athens, the citizens were expected (it was their duty as citizens) to know the laws and be up on current issues and affairs. It was especially important for them because the Athenians chose their public officials from the citizens at large by lottery. And at the end of their term, their performance in office was reviewed by a jury of 501 other citizens, and either lauded or condemned for their performance in office. In short, they were held accountable. There were various factions, of course, but there were no political parties.

Athenian democracy (the world's first) had a lot of flaws, but it had a lot going for it, too. I think we could learn a lot from them.

Excellent book. Very enlightening.

Don Firth