Ignoring Simpson-Bowles, tax reform, transparency, bipartisan cooperation, shovel ready projects, Wall St. and bank bailouts, failed housing policies and more; when will voters get it? We elect presidents and members of Congress to make the hard choices, to use their “above average” intellect to solve the ever-increasing problems of our nation. We don’t ask much—honesty, loyalty, creativity and a willingness to honor their oath of office. And yet, election after election, the American voter comes up short. Our leaders aren’t leading—Republican, Democrat or Independent—and party affiliation makes little difference; all are corrupted by the process. Some, perhaps more than we’d like to believe, even begin their bids for office with dishonest intentions.

Unless we, the people, take charge and demand accountability from those we send to represent us, our nation will continue to suffer the effects of incompetency run amok. The upcoming election perfectly illustrates my point. We’re not being offered a slate of dedicated public servants seeking to serve their country; we have a bunch of partisan hacks who neither understand the problems we face nor who are willing to make the difficult decisions necessary to stabilize our economy.

So when November comes and millions go to the polls hoping for change, what we’ll receive in turn for those votes will be more of the same . . . that is, until the wheels finally come off our economy. And when that happens, politicians will point to their predecessors or opponents, denying their own complicity and abdicating all responsibility. And the typical American voter will swallow their BS hook, line and sinker.

Let’s be realistic, regardless of the political party in power, there is no plan to get the U. S. out of debt. Neither party has the guts nor the intention to significantly reduce the deficit, and as the deficit increases the debt burden on both taxpayers and the economy grows to unmanageable proportions.

Sure, both political parties talk of reducing the debt; both parties say they have a plan; but an honest evaluation quickly shows that the promises are hollow, meaningless and nothing more than political rhetoric intended to pacify a gullible electorate. And regardless of how vehemently politicians proclaim that we must restore our nation to fiscal responsibility, their actions demonstrate that their intentions are quite different. Just look at the congressional rookies; fearful of losing the next election they’re asking for pork for their constituents in order to boost their chances of electoral victory.

Yes, we can elect a new president and we can install some new members of Congress; but until that president or member of Congress seriously commits to the drastic budget cuts necessary to restore fiscal sanity, our votes are an effort in futility. However, the bottom line problem isn’t the incompetent scoundrels we send to DC. No, the problem lies with the average American who appears unwilling to understand our nation’s problems and who lacks a commitment to work for the election of intelligent, honest and committed representatives, those who place nation ahead their desire for reelection and who would universally reject partisan politics. It is both sad and ironic that Americans will stand in the elements for hours just to buy the latest electronic gadget, yet many of those same people are unwilling to take the time to cast an intelligent vote.

While Main Street struggles through the recovery that isn’t and politicians posture for the coming election, most seem unaware of the reality that our leaders failed us because they failed to lead. The tough social and economic issues currently facing the U.S. aren’t random occurrences; they happened because our elected officials continue to avoid the hard choices and pander to an uninformed electorate in hopes of maintaining their positions of political power. And unless our nation experiences a rapid and dramatic awakening, the coming election will bring nothing more than noise and a continuation of business as usual.

Yet, I have a dream, a dream that we the people will have an epiphany, that we will suddenly reclaim our inalienable rights, that we will boot out politicians in favor of leaders who will restore our republic and the heritage of our forefathers. My dream is that we will see a revival in the enlightened participation of an electorate who will demand integrity and accountability from those sent to represent. In my dream I see political offices held by officials who will promise:

* To tell the truth in all situations regardless of the political ramifications

* To refrain from partisan politics and do what is best for country, not party

* To conduct the business of our country with dignity

* To avoid even the appearance of impropriety

* To refuse favors, gifts or other items of value from anyone while in office

* To conduct the business of running govt. with transparency unless national security is threatened

* To support legislation enacting term limits for members of congress

* To support an accurate and intelligible reporting of GDP, inflation and unemployment numbers

* To understand and abide by their oath of office

* To refrain from working as a lobbyist for at least 5 years after leaving office

* To both understand and follow their oath of office in all their political dealings

* To seek excellence in all negotiations

* To exhibit exemplary character at all times while in office

* To provide answers, not political rhetoric when questioned

* To do what they say they will do or explain why not

* To listen to others, knowing they don’t have all the answers

* To work for permanent solutions, not temporary fixes to problems

* To avoid the politics of politics

* To conduct the business of government with integrity and fairness

Yes, perhaps this is only my dream, but I continue to hold it in hopes that it might somehow become a reality.

Is the focus on high gas prices just a political distraction? The President blames the speculators; Republicans blame the President; environmentalists blame the oil companies.  Regardless of where the fault lies, the folks on Main Street suffer the consequences, and most just want relief.

Many agree with the President and point to recent declines in gas consumption while at the same time refinery output has increased. With refineries pumping out far more gasoline than the U.S. is consuming, the U.S. has become a net exporter of fuel and fuel related products, a trend we haven’t seen for more than 60 years. It would therefore seem reasonable that prices would fall based upon supply and demand . . . yet they haven’t.

Politicians see the issue as providing great election year fodder. Instead of wasting time pointing fingers at political opponents or greedy speculators, perhaps we should all take a serious look at overall conditions in the oil and gasoline markets, and to do something anathema to politicians—make realistic long term plans.

The pricing of oil and its derivative products is a complex issue that does involve speculation, political unrest, the threat of war and international monetary issues.  Expectations that oil and gasoline prices will somehow return to the levels of several years ago seem unlikely. There appears to be no short term solution as most experts anticipate continued increases in worldwide consumption.

Here are three reasons why gas prices won’t return to more desirable levels:

The declining dollar: Attempts by the Federal Reserve to stimulate the economy by increasing the money supply may have helped avoid economic collapse—opinions vary, and I’m extremely skeptical of “quantitative easing”—but they have directly lowered the value of the U.S. dollar. And, when dollars are worth less (some fear they may soon be worthless) oil exporting nations naturally demand more of those dollars for their product.

Oil consumption in Asia: Too little attention is being paid to the growing demand for oil in the emerging economies of Asia, with current and anticipated demand coming from China beginning to soon rival that of the U.S. The Chinese, for instance, expect to have an additional 150 million autos on the road by the end of this decade; with India adding more than 40 million more. While the majority of those autos will be small and fuel efficient, almost 200 million additional cars will consume billions of gallons of gasoline not being consumed today. Even with increased production, this new demand will keep fuel prices high.

The high cost of “new source oil”: While many point to Canada’s tar sands and the potential of trillions of barrels of oil locked in shale deposits in the U.S., producing and refining those reserves will cost significantly more than the high quality crude refined during the past century. And with much of our country’s oil reserves located on federal land, production and environmental issues will delay and in some cases prohibit tapping those sources, and will surely increase the costs.

Instead of being distracted by politically motivated arguments, we should focus upon increasing domestic oil production which will, at a minimum, benefit our national security. And while it may slow rising prices, producing additional oil will have little impact towards permanently reducing the price of oil. Of course we should have a coherent energy policy, and we should take advantage of oil deposits here in the U.S.; but we must also be aware that environmental and monetary policies combined with the global demand for oil will insure that the cost of a fill-up will continue to escalate. Political maneuvering may slow the rate of increase; but expecting politicians to stabilize oil prices at a significantly lower rate, while a nice dream, is probably just that.

Sometimes it appears as if the average American believes the president to be all-powerful, and perhaps it’s time to remind ourselves that we’re electing a president, not a master of the universe. Not only are presidents not “all-powerful,” those running for the office are well aware that the majority of their promises and commitments will be trashed as soon as they are sworn in.

It’s sad that those running for the highest office in the land believe it necessary to lie in order to be elected; but what’s even worse is knowing that the majority of the public is sufficiently gullible to believe the lies. The political process is broken and the politicians refuse to repair it, fearing they’ll lose their jobs . . . and most should.

As we approach the 2012 election it would be comforting to know that the slate of candidates is honorable, trustworthy and that they fully expect to keep their campaign promises. Sadly that’s not the case. Each one of the candidates, including those previously eliminated and the one currently holding office, has deliberately twisted the facts about their record and the records of their opponents; and they have made promises they know to be impossible to keep.

Until the American public demands honesty and straightforwardness from the candidates, until voters awaken to the reality that politicians are only spouting what advisors and polls dictate, we’ll be rewarded with presidents who lie and cheat their way into office. And that’s hardly a way to begin the serious task of managing our nation’s crumbling economy and protecting Americans in an increasingly dangerous world.

Four More Years?

After seriously reviewing the remaining Republican field, I think it may be best to give President Obama four more years in the White House. I say that not because I’m enthralled by his performance to date—he’s failed miserably when compared to either his campaign promises or to taking actions that would actually restore the economy—but because I see his  Republican opposition as unwilling and unable to take the steps necessary to solve the very serious problems we face.

Do I support the President’s policies? Hardly. But I don’t believe the current Republican alternatives would significantly improve the nation’s economic future. What is needed is a radical approach; and while some Republicans may tout their “radical” credentials, an analysis of their past actions shows that ALL have supported big government programs and are lacking in the courage necessary for true and meaningful reform.

Four more years of a Democratic presidency just might awaken Democrats as well as those of all political persuasions to the pressing reforms needed to keep the U.S. from becoming Greece. And four years of a weak Republican administration would likely be yet another round of “can kicking,” with the possibility of politically motivated and ill-conceived cuts in government spending, the consequences of which just might tip the scales into a second Great Depression.

Ultimately, neither party seems willing to consider that merely slowing our path towards destruction does nothing but delay the ultimate disaster. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have refused to support the kinds of drastic changes that are needed; most waste their breath and our time spouting hollow political rhetoric and avoiding the specifics of how their lofty goals would be achieved.

The U.S. is in serious trouble, and following the fate of Greece seems more a possibility than one could have possible imagined just a few short years ago. Regardless of who we elect as our next president, it seems unlikely they will take action to stop our ever-weakening financial footing. A Republican win just might be the worst possible fate for both the country and the party, for any degree of continuing malaise would certainly be blamed on the new president. Partisan politics would rule, paving the way for future Democratic victories in Congress and forever branding the GOP as insensitive to the needs of Middle America, an appellative the party often seems intent upon winning.

Yes, let’s give the President four more years. While he may not deserve it, the results could just be the awakening our country needs; and it just might return us to an era of bipartisan cooperation necessary for the implementation of real reforms. Of course I may bemoan the misguided programs initiated under an extended Obama presidency, but the potential for catastrophic economic collapse seems far more odious.

Disregard the Pundits, Politicians and Propaganda and Use Your Brain

One only has to follow the political polls to question whether the electorate is capable of rational thinking. After all, if voters’ opinions are so easily swayed by reports in the media or negative advertising, it seems logical that most had never properly grasped the candidates’ platforms or positions on issues of importance. Many voters seem content to support the candidate du jour, the media darling or the one supported by their favorite pundit; however, such behavior is both irrational and potentially dangerous to our nation’s health.

Liberty Requires Vigilance

Want to see true change? Take time to study a candidate’s position, to see what their past history says of their positions, and to verify the statements being made by their opponents. (In today’s political climate it’s almost a certainty that a candidate’s foes are, at least, distorting the truth and quite likely, lying altogether.)

If we expect our elected officials to turn around this nation, to create lasting and meaningful changes that will turn us from the precipice, then we, the voters, have an obligation. We must send to office those candidates who have clearly demonstrated their support for both our ideals and for the principles upon which a fiscally sound and responsible government must be based. We can’t base our choices upon the media favorite or the candidate supported by the political machine; we can’t just leave the decision to others.

In order to elect those who are truly qualified, we must determine those candidates who will:

* Understand and abide by their oath of office

* Tell us the truth in all situations regardless of the political ramifications

* Refrain from partisan politics and always do what is best for the country, not the party

* Avoid the appearance of impropriety

* Never accept favors or anything of value from anyone, regardless of how innocent it may seem

* Conduct the business government with transparency unless national security is threatened

* Provide answers, not political rhetoric when questioned

* Work for solutions, not temporary fixes to problems

* Avoid the politics of politics

* Take responsibility for their actions even when shown to be incorrect

* Know and admit to their limits

* Accept the opposing party’s recommendations when they offer the best solution for the nation

As we look to this year’s election, let’s do our part to select those candidates who are most compatible with the dream once known as The United States of America. Surely our decision deserves as much analysis and excitement as our interest in the contestants on the latest reality TV show or the winner of the Super Bowl. And if we are unwilling to put forth sufficient effort or to dedicate just a portion of our time, we’ll deserve the ultimate outcome, the consequences of which may dramatically and grievously alter our lives forever.

Now, I have nothing against the wealthy, and there are times their elite fraternity holds an attraction; but I have no burning desire for great wealth.  However, earning money—warehouses full of it—is neither evil nor corrupt; it just seems that the actions of many of our so-called captains of industry who command power over the legislative process are directly connected to their wallets.  Their pursuit of ever-increasing profits has created chaos, pain and suffering for the majority of inhabitants on Main Street. With the help of their allies in DC, Wall Street and big business have used the power of money to buy into the political process, clouding the damage already inflicted to the system and the people.

In response to their true masters, politicians and bureaucrats have created convoluted systems of reporting economic data that has intentionally mislead us about the depth of the recession, the extent of unemployment, the reality of rising consumer prices, real GDP and the dangers and consequences of our massive debt.  And they continue to do so because their lies go unchallenged.

Money Talks and Votes

As we enter another election cycle, the power of money is obvious. Forces in business through powerful political action committees are pouring in huge sums in order to maintain the status quo. Washington abhors change and politicians are doing everything they can to insure that real change is avoided. Wall Street, threatened by the possibility that some are awakening to their confidence games, has gone on a political spending spree in order to maintain the control they’ve exercised for decades.

Big money buys the votes of those too disinterested in the process to discover the truth on their own; and this year appears to be no different from those past. In the end, the voice of the people will be drowned out by the din of dollars pouring into the campaigns. Those who desire a change, a system that functions per the constitution, are once more being out spent and out maneuvered. And regardless of the result of this year’s election, the winner will once more be a corrupt political system that delivers to the highest bidder.

As the candidates flood the airwaves exaggerating their accomplishments and deriding their opponents, voters should prepare for the best election money can buy. While 2012 may herald one of the most important elections in our nation’s history, with the potential for a change of the Presidency and major victories/defeats in both the House and Senate, the outcome won’t be determined by an informed electorate, but by the number of dollars spent. With the costs of political campaigns exploding out of control, it would be nice to believe politicians’ motives were as altruistic as their ads proclaim. However, most know that’s not the case.

Politicians seem to have forgotten the meaning of altruism, though they seek office making absurd claims to reduce unemployment, improve the economy, feed the poor, minister to the “less fortunate” and educate the masses.  Of course, their solutions are always far superior to those of their opponents, and they are compelled to do whatever is necessary to insure THEIR electoral success, justifying the incredible amounts spent on campaigns because the other candidates are doing the same. Victory must be assured “for good of the country and the working class.”

But the system is broken; spending has grown to absurd levels. With this year’s elections likely to cost in the billions, and with the President alone predicted to raise close to $1 billion, the amounts spent are an indication of what is at stake—at stake for corporate America, not for the average American. After all, if corporations are willing to “invest” hundreds of millions on political campaigns, what do they expect their investment to return? It should be obvious that politicians can have little interest in the issues faced by those on Main Street; their allegiance must be to those whose dollars put them in office, the sponsors of super PACS and lobbyists groups, whose lawyers designed “campaign finance reform” to deliberately shield their nefarious practices.

Who's Pulling the Strings?

And contrary to what political ads may state, there is no intention to inform voters of a candidate’s positions—those who actually have a position—the purpose is to distort the facts, especially about their opponents. And the results are that the biggest spenders become the biggest winners, but those on Main Street—the people—are the losers. Instead of leaders the system gives us servants, not of those they’re sworn to serve, but of those whose dollars funded their campaigns.

Politics is a dirty business, but what was once only a smudge on the process has become pandemic, an unquenchable lust for power and influence that infects all who participate. The meaning of public service seems forever lost, and for the average citizen struggling to make ends meet, the coming election is devoid of meaning, regardless of who may ultimately be declared winner. The only significance may be that we will have once more demonstrated that America is not a government “of the people,” but only of the powerful, those with the financial resources to buy an election. So as we cast our ballots on November 6^th we should prepare for the best election money can buy. If, as they say, money talks, its talk is cheapened by the manner in which it has corrupted our political system.

Few Minced Words Here

“The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.” Winston Churchill must have been referencing the U.S. electorate when he made that statement more than half a century ago. Otherwise, how can one explain the dramatic swings in the polls leading up to the Iowa caucus? And how can one justify the results?

Americans have become so dependent upon the media to tell them how to vote that we are surely the laughing stock of so-called third world countries whose elections we decry as corrupt. After all, what’s the difference between buying votes and buying media coverage when the outcome is the same? The rise and fall of candidates in this country is a direct result of multimillion dollar media blitzes and attack ads that prey on the uninformed and those too lazy to become informed. If that’s the case, America is toast, and we may as well give up. If our future is dependent upon which candidate has the most money to spend, the outcome of this year’s election is already predetermined.

But just for a lark, why don’t we as voters try to think for a change? Why don’t we research the information presented in the attack ads to see if it’s based in truth? Imagine a candidate’s surprise when voters actually challenged statements about an opponent’s positions. My observation is that virtually ALL negative ads contain distortions of truth, exaggerations or outright lies.

And while I don’t anticipate any changes in the electorate’s willingness to validate the claims of political ads or to bother checking a candidate’s references, I can retain hope until that last vote is counted on November 6^th. By that time, however, we’ll probably have eliminated those candidates of honor whose shortcoming was their lack of financial support from big business or connection to the political class whose PAC system only distorts the electoral process. Good luck America; I think you’ll need it, for luck may just be your last hope.