are you ready

I consider myself an independent voter. There have been times when I've voted a democratic ticket and times I've voted a republican ticket although each has usually been a split ticket. I swear allegiance to neither of the cults in our two party government. In fact, I seem to have a growing resentment of the club system we've become and an unproved suspicion that a shadow government puts up puppets they can manipulate in what has become an indisputable oligarchy.

Back in the sixties, I was even part of a Ponzi scheme to put John F. Kennedy over the top in Chicago. We took about 300 names from one of JFK's campaign storefronts on Michigan Avenue and put an entire market research firm to work developing a telephone tree with the sole purpose of getting people to register to vote. We figured that once new people were registered, most would actually go to the polls, and if we stayed within the Chicago city limits most would be democrats. Each of the first tier of volunteers got five more people to get five more, on and on through four tiers. By the end, we had over 100,000 people knocking on doors, calling neighbors, and calling back to make certain their people registered.

As you will recall, Kennedy won over Richard Nixon in a very close election, but Chicago set a record as a democratic landslide. And, of course, the Daley machine got all of the credit with the head of our firm getting a handshake from Kennedy as he visited Chicago immediately after winning. Oh well, I was patriotic in those days.

Today, I don't really want to vote for either presidential candidate and am not looking forward to the promotional fanfare and hoopla of the conventions. Pep rally publicity stunts no longer having anything to do with nominations for the presidency, only the selection of a VP. They have become nothing more than great and expensive hours of crummy entertainment meant to publicize the party's position on a few issues amidst flag waving, thousands of balloons, and the cheers of crowds salted with paid supporters and others caught up in mob hysteria. Who needs it? And what's to be gained by watching?

How many of the previous campaign promises have become reality? Do we have terms limits? Do we have campaign finance reform? How about "no more taxes?" What makes you hope that this year will be different?

Issues

Any of you who have bothered to read my column almost anytime during the past three years know that my main gripe is the rip-off of Social Security and all other entitlement excess money, what the government calls "a surplus." Soon, I will give you the ultimate and final solution to this problem. The final answer.

In the meantime, I can guarantee that you are not going to get a viable solution from either of the two candidates for President of our partial democracy, thirteenth on the UN's ranking of the freest nations in the world.

On the one hand, you've got Al Gore promising to continue stealing all of your excess Social Security money in order to pay down a phenomenal national debt that the government has run up since 1980. And criticizing his opponent for taking the same money to do exactly what the government has done for itself with the Thrift Savings Plan for federal employees. A personal stock market investment plan that Al must have supported for the last eight years since he has never objected to it. Give big Al the Hypocrite of the Month award.

On the other hand, you've got Bubba Bush and the rest of the royal family of King's Ranch, the new American dynasty and the dream of all those who would rather return to the days of Kingdoms and nepotism. At a time when, after all the Clinton administration has put us through, a change in the top seat should be automatic, this is the best that the republicans can come up with.

Friend of the envioronment, Governor George W. Bush allows New York City to bring trainloads of raw sewage at the rate of 40,000 tons per day to dump openly on Texas soil. Instead of Camelot, King's Ranch gives you shit-a-lot.

No wonder the majority of Americans no longer bother to vote.



			ARE YOU READY?
		I consider myself an independent voter. There have been times when I've voted a democratic ticket and times I've voted a republican ticket although each has usually been a split ticket. I swear allegiance to neither of the cults in our two party government. In fact, I seem to have a growing resentment of the club system we've become and an unproved suspicion that a shadow government puts up puppets they can manipulate in what has become an indisputable oligarchy. Back in the sixties, I was even part of a Ponzi scheme to put John F. Kennedy over the top in Chicago. We took about 300 names from one of JFK's campaign storefronts on Michigan Avenue and put an entire market research firm to work developing a telephone tree with the sole purpose of getting people to register to vote. We figured that once new people were registered, most would actually go to the polls, and if we stayed within the Chicago city limits most would be democrats. Each of the first tier of volunteers got five more people to get five more, on and on through four tiers. By the end, we had over 100,000 people knocking on doors, calling neighbors, and calling back to make certain their people registered. As you will recall, Kennedy won over Richard Nixon in a very close election, but Chicago set a record as a democratic landslide. And, of course, the Daley machine got all of the credit with the head of our firm getting a handshake from Kennedy as he visited Chicago immediately after winning. Oh well, I was patriotic in those days. Today, I don't really want to vote for either presidential candidate and am not looking forward to the promotional fanfare and hoopla of the conventions. Pep rally publicity stunts no longer having anything to do with nominations for the presidency, only the selection of a VP. They have become nothing more than great and expensive hours of crummy entertainment meant to publicize the party's position on a few issues amidst flag waving, thousands of balloons, and the cheers of crowds salted with paid supporters and others caught up in mob hysteria. Who needs it? And what's to be gained by watching? How many of the previous campaign promises have become reality? Do we have terms limits? Do we have campaign finance reform? How about "no more taxes?" What makes you hope that this year will be different? Issues Any of you who have bothered to read my column almost anytime during the past three years know that my main gripe is the rip-off of Social Security and all other entitlement excess money, what the government calls "a surplus." Soon, I will give you the ultimate and final solution to this problem. The final answer. In the meantime, I can guarantee that you are not going to get a viable solution from either of the two candidates for President of our partial democracy, thirteenth on the UN's ranking of the freest nations in the world. On the one hand, you've got Al Gore promising to continue stealing all of your excess Social Security money in order to pay down a phenomenal national debt that the government has run up since 1980. And criticizing his opponent for taking the same money to do exactly what the government has done for itself with the Thrift Savings Plan for federal employees. A personal stock market investment plan that Al must have supported for the last eight years since he has never objected to it. Give big Al the Hypocrite of the Month award. On the other hand, you've got Bubba Bush and the rest of the royal family of King's Ranch, the new American dynasty and the dream of all those who would rather return to the days of Kingdoms and nepotism. At a time when, after all the Clinton administration has put us through, a change in the top seat should be automatic, this is the best that the republicans can come up with. Friend of the envioronment, Governor George W. Bush allows New York City to bring trainloads of raw sewage at the rate of 40,000 tons per day to dump openly on Texas soil. Instead of Camelot, King's Ranch gives you shit-a-lot. No wonder the majority of Americans no longer bother to vote.