Quote: As a Canadian, I can tell you this...you are virtually all born right from the start as either Democrats or Republicans...which means...you are born into an existing set of mythological ideas which you unconsciously mould into your political reality. If you're born into a Democratic family, then you see everything through that set of glasses. If Republican, then the other set. Enquote

Little Hawk, I'm sure there are a great many of us who do not fit into that mo(u)ld. I, for instance, was born into a very conservative family- I have no real doubt that they approved of the John Birch Society-and it's true that I first registered as a Republican and my first time out, I voted for Nixon. (Luckily, he didn't make it that time!)

In the next four years I became a tad more sensitized to realities and changed my registration to Independent/Nonpartisan, where I have remained. In local elections I voted only for individuals, never by party, but in practice I have rarely voted for a Republican candidate, especially in recent years.

In national elections, I lodged mostly protest votes. Jimmy Carter was my first successful candidate. Bill Clinton was my second one.

In other words I think the only way that my family's bent influenced me is that it perhaps makes me look more carefully at a candidate in order to decide for myself. I'm sure that I'm not alone in this.

I don't have a whole lot of patience with the 'ideal political world' promulgated by some. In the first place, I don't think there is such a thing. Secondly, it ain't gonna happen and I prefer to remind myself of things as they are and work from there.

I have no problem believing that either or both of the major parties in this country will change or even disappear- they've done it in the past- but in the meantime we have to work with what we've got.

No offense intended, Little Hawk.

Ebbie