LH - The Ferrengi were based on the early industrial revolution Americas where profit was everything! Unfortunately that seems to be the idea for a great deal of Americans nowadays as well.

I don't quite agree with the idea that the wealthiest and most powerful special interest groups control the parties. If that were so we'd have no environmental regulations whatsoever. The Republicans have been screaming for years that each "green" regulation costs them money, even those that prevent loss of their "material" which should lead to more profit.

I think rather than doing away with the parties I'd like to see a multi-voting system in the primaries. A primary selection for who you'd really like to see elected plus a secondary vote for your next choice. I'd feel a little more connected to the whole process if at least one of my candidates made it into consideration.

I hate seeing the massive amounts of money dedicated to all this foolishness as I believe that in the end the suppliers of that money have the loudest political voices. I wonder how many real problems could be solved with the application of all that campaign funding?