"I do not want to speak ill of a veteran. I respect what you did. But when you critize the man who saved you, it comes down to this: This man's a war hero, what did you do over there? Zero... You almost got shot, you are not a hero in this war shit, not even a hero to the party that fed you this horseshit, twisted and polluted your values, don't you remember when those soldiers almost had you? Lucky to be alive, talking about family values? There have got to be some things in life that push politics aside, you're the type to make one wonder "Why'd I save his life?" Never knew many vets that still love those that worked and didn't pay them-but they'll use you if they can, "If's he in our hand, let's play him." I'm sorry you went to war, more sorry you almost died. But I have to wonder if you were thinking about protocol when he saved your hide? That's the type of thing you think up after the brain wash. Another boy that went to war and stayed lost. I mean, if there was ever a man I would go out of my way to never criticize.... who better than the man that saved my worthless life?"

I wrote that about how the man whose life Kerry saved in the U Boat that turned on him later because he had become a Republican! We value these parties more than our own lives? "He saved me but... he had to break numerous protocol to do it..." Had he gone mad? Have we gone mad for televising this with little open reaction? He is criticizing how a man went about saving his life. The most reassuring thing the reporter could have done upon hearing this insanity would be to smack the man repeatedly then walk out.

Partisan politics do nothing more effectivly than stifle debate.... Members are taking turns trying to impress their own party members instead of get through to the members of the other party. Human nature has been given a legislative free pass to express itself in its most ugly forms. Because man is prone to being stubborn, members of both parties quickly dig in and become set in their ways. Each side gives up on the other.

Why is it liberal or conservative? Isn't it a contradiction of the values our country was founded upon that the word liberal could even be turned ugly? Is this the best place to draw a line we in free America could think of, between those who want freedom and those who fight it? How can one have too much freedom?

They equate social views with economic ones. Social liberal = fiscal liberal. Social conservative = fiscal conservative. This notion is absurd and has resulted in people voting against their best interest in many cases. What does ones view on abortion have to do with ones views on economic policy?

They are prone to label you as one or the other when everyone has tendancies both ways. This steals individuality. Individuals are more complex... This black and white mentality has no doubt kept some very open minded, capable people out of the political process entirely.

Partisanship results in a lack of self reflection. It is a more social and party type atmosphere.

They have turned politics into a sporting event. It is literally more important to win than to be right. The same as how fans of a team will be happy with a win even if there have been some questionable calls made along the way.(I have yet to meet a sporting fan who complained about an unfair win and I'm not sure I would like him if I did) And in absence of winning, these parties settle for "not losing". The minimum wage thing is the perfect example. Keeps getting tabled because they cannot agree on a number. Both sides want to be the one that got the resolution through, so they both block each other. Fairly disgusting that people starve over their vanity.

They do not find the middle ground because they are more concerned with keeping the game aflout through constant fillibusters than actually advancing this nation. They do not have to worry about being checked up on because no one is really paying attention... And those that are, are not heard.

They never agree on issues that matter to us but they quickly agree on issues that personally affect them. Pork filled highway bills, raises, things of that nature. Corrupt legislation passes like lightning while real issues get bogged down in fillibuster or worse, ignored entirely.

By removing partisanship our politicians would be able to greater agree with each other because they would not be voting party lines; they would certainly reach an accord on many issues, enough to move forward. They would be more inclined to negotiate and move things forward for the country than to deadlock in an effort to save face for their party. This would also remove the fraternal feel and remind that they are not groups of men united behind the ideals of their party but individual men united only by the charge of doing right by their constiuents.

These men pledge themselves to the American people in oath only; they give their souls to the party. I long for no more barriers between these men and their responsibilities, no more distractions and petty bickering. These men need to worry more about whether America is winning, not whether their party is winning. The energy they put into the latter steals from the former. So if you care for my advice when choosing a political party, I say... hate them both.