I REALLY feel like America is about as sick as a (so called) "democratic" country can be and still function.
I voted for Kerry... But I am not necessarilly a Democrat.
I am so sick of this "Us vs. Them" politics that has now dominates American government. It keeps us from and REAL dialogue on the problems that are facing America.
For now, I don't think that postulating how we can get are next candidate into the White House is needed as much as we need to continue to discuss issues such as providing as good education for ALL kids, providing access to affordable healthcare for ALL people, ensuring that we take care of our military veterans after they have served honorably, etc.
But right now, I think we need to disucss ways we can change the status quo of American government. This is supposed to be a government "of the people, by the people, for the people."
We can do better of making that a reality.
We need to have a public dialoque on the validity of our democracy 200+ years down the road.
Due to technological advances in communication and transportation, we no longer have to rely on our antiquated system of "representative democray" the way it was formed in the 1780's.
We need to start talking about REAL change in our system toward "direct democray", aboloshing/changing the Electoral College, voting reforms such as "intstant run-off ballots", and campaign finance reforms that will truly level the playing field.
I don't expect anyone to agree with me on this. I am just expressing my belief that we need to go much further than just getting our preferred candidate elected. I think that talking about these things on a deeper level is what we need.
Although, if you want to limit the discussion to what a candidate should be, I say look toward Dennis Kucinich and other progressives that are not afraid to embrace dialogue on the things that we need to change America for the better.
One thing that REALLY troubled me about this election is that whether we elected Bush or Kerry, our president would have been a member of Yale's "secret society" Skull and Bones.
We can do better America.
Let's start talking (and listening) to each other about how we can get our country and our world back on course.