Well, Doug, I'm like most other people I guess...my feelings fluctuate a bit on complex issues. Hmmmm... Lemme think. I do feel that in both the USA and Canada (and many other countries) that the mainstream political parties have simply abandoned the public and are playing a game called "let's get elected". In order to do that, they will say anything and do anything that they think will get votes...but will generally betray many of those promises once elected (for instance: George Bush the elder saying "read my lips...NO MORE TAXES!"...didn't turn out that way at all. Our Canadian politicians have similarly lied to us over and over again...and I mean ALL the parties. They lie to get elected, then go ahead and do what they wanted to do in the first place, but neglected to tell us about.)

So, that's my cynical assessment of the present state of "democracy".

On the other hand, as you know, I do somewhat like the Democrats better than the Republicans (though I don't trust either one of them as far as I could throw a Lear Jet).

I would like to think the Democrats could come up with some kind of genuine leftist agenda somewhat like F.D.R. did...but I think there's virtually NO chance they will. They figure it's too risky. They want to appeal to everybody, and they only way you can even try to do that is lie through your teeth or be totally wishy-washy and gutless.

The Democrats are like the Canadian Liberal Party...they resemble a marshmallow...little or no real principles at all, but an uncanny ability to temporarily fit any given aperture by altering their shape accordingly. (I'm speaking of the party machine in general...but not of specific individuals when I say that.)

The Republicans are a bit more predictable, because they have more of a real, consistent philosophy... Sadly enough, it's a philosophy I disagree with almost totally. :-)

I don't know what to do about it, Doug. Like I said, I vote primarily just so that various soreheads can't say to me "If ya didn't vote, ya shouldn't complain", but there's no party out there that I have confidence in, except a couple of teeny little ones that can't possibly get elected, cos they don't have enough money, and people don't know enough about them. They are the ones I have voted for in the last 3 or 4 elections.

I wish that there were no political parties anymore at all. I do not think it's a workable system as it stands.

- LH