[quicksilverdon]

I'm writing this mainly to GoldPT and Satellite66 as an open hand (not a fist) gesture.
I have to get off my chest that what has pissed me off about the neos as typified by Bush is the constant dealing with absolutes - "If your not with us, you're against us" type of crap.
examples - Gay marriage. Frankly, I could care less. Not for me, but why should our lawmakers get involved?
I heard Bill Mahr last night - he said the Democrats didn't win on Tuesday, the Republicans lost. I voted for Democrats across the board because it was the only way to stop the Republican Party from taking us off the cliff - the Republicans have been hijacked by their extreme right, playing to religious wackos - Did you know that Rick Santorum wanted to make contraceptives illegal? Even for Married couples? THAT is scary. If religion wants to meddle in politics, they should have to give up their tax-exempt status.
You guys need to accept that we all want what's best for America (at least I do). We may disagree on the best course, but I (and may others) got fed up being called unpatriotic becuase I opposed an illegal war, pushed by chicken hawks, that was based on bogus reasons, that was mis-conducted. I may get personal about Bush, but I use facts - he WAS a failure in the business world, he IS a poor judge of character, he IS selective in what part of Christianity he practices. What I saw, and hope to see less of - is labeling - I am "lefty", "Liberal", "Pinko" - but what really, REALLY pisses me off is to be called unpatriotic. I served 16 months in Vietnam in the Marines which gives me more of a right to speak about war than all of the pussies in the White House combined. DON'T CALL ME UNPATRIOTIC.

What I - and now clearly the majority of Americans - want is less bickering, less name-calling, less labelling, less spinning and twisting. Let's get real and come to compromises that will be good for the majority of America, without screwing the minority.

Some goals I would like to see the US achieve -
Health care - I understand Massachusetts has added something that covers all children - I'd like to learn more about that - we have to do something - even in India vaccinations are free. Certainly there needs to be a re-write of the drug-company-written prescription plan.
Social Security - NOT making it risky and putting in the stock market. I think it's simple - raise the cap - right now I don't pay social security all year because I make more than the cap - RAISE THE CAP. YES, it affects me, but I'd rather pay now than have them raise the age when I can collect.
Drop "the war on terror" crap - the war on drugs, the war on poverty, are all rhetoric. Get serious - secure our borders - re-allocate the Homeland security funds based on real risk assesment, not pork-barrel politics - sorry, Wyoming, you don't get funds, you have nothing to be attacked. When they slashed funds for NY and Washington, there was a brief outcry from "the liberal media", but nothing changed.
Minimum wage - Every state that had it on the ballot passed an increase in the minimum wage - get the message, Washington.
Religious laws - no laws based on religion. Banning stem cell research - why? Are we in the Middle Ages?
Education - increase, not cut, assistance for student loans - I believe more education is a good thing that will help America lead the world.
Tax reform - as an example - cut deductions for second homes - if you can afford a second home, you don't need government help. That's just one example.

I would really like to see political parties abolished - you'd just have candidate A, B, C,... and they'd tell you what they're for and what they're against - but I don't see that happening.
I'd like to see lobbyists banned - but again, I don't see that happening.
I'd like to see the draft back - Webb of Virginia has a son in Iraq, but how many other congressmen??? War NEEDS to be felt on a personal level. It NEEDS to be a last resort, to be used only when all else fails. It should not be an economic/political tool.

That's enough ranting. I'll try t