The first thing I want to say is that I am nothing special nor more intelligent then anyone else.  The one thing that I am is an independent thinker who analyzes a situation and acts based upon what I feel is best, as opposed to acting based upon being part of an “in-group”, the “first-group”, the “cool-group”, the “trend-setting group”, or jumping on a bandwagon.  By the way, how many of you saw Robin Williams on Law & Order this evening and the commentary on “sheep” mentality in America?

I have been greatly disappointed in the future of the United States, generally, and each of us, specifically, since John Edwards (the adult wing of the Democratic Party) dropped out of the Presidential race.  I last and only posted on January 30, 2008 re “Unity Will Flow Naturally From Integrity & Credibility” and  on January 21, 2008 re “The Country Needs John Edwards To Stay In The Race All The Way To The Nomination”.  I never intended to post again since it took 25+ years since my disgust with the Democratic Party following the 1980 Presidential Campaign and the defeat of my candidate of choice in the Wisconsin Primary, Jerry Brown, until this past year when the leadership ideas, backbone strength, and bold courage of John Edwards got me excited again in a President and the Democratic Party for the first time since 1980.  However, the recent sequence of events caused me to be unable to stay silent and to at least make a record that I did my part and tried.  I know that there are many other JRE supporters who feel as I do.

Interestingly, in the midst of the Clinton-Obama unveiling during the past few weeks, the Jimmy Carter of 1980 has resurfaced with a meeting with the terrorist organization of Hamas that seeks to push the Israeli’s into the Sea and destroy the State of Israel.  I guess the botched helicoptor blunder-Iranian Hostage Rescue attempt in the Desert that any Israeli military officer could have advised would be a disasterous failure before it ever began was not enough of a legacy for Mr. Carter nor sufficient damage to inflict upon the Democratic Party.

Now, I have to watch as Mr. Obama, the great questioner of the judgment of Ms. Clinton about going into Iraq, now attempts to squirm and slither his way out from under the exercise of his judgment in his chosen faith leader for the last 20 years, including officiating his marriage, performing the baptisms of his two daughters, and inspiring his book.  Meanwhile, Ms. Clinton continues ahead in the pursuit of the very things that John Edwards legitimately questioned during the debates.  Unfortunately, the mainstream corporate media of America and the significant majority of each of us failed ourselves in not questioning each of the candidates with intellectual honesty and legitimate cross-examination.  Instead, it was easier, less work, and more entertaining (and perhaps more self-serving) to jump on the bandwagon and promote the glitz and glamor of a woman and a black man running for President and ignore JRE, except to cover the price of his haircut, the size and cost of his residence, and his connection to a hedge fund.  Meanwhile, now that it is too late we learn that (1) the income of the Clinton’s and Obama’s is consistent with the income of JRE; and (2) per www.opensecrets.org, the connection of JRE pales in comparison to the campaign contributions received by Ms. Clinton and Mr. Obama from the hedge fund industry, the health care industry, the insurance industry, lawyers, and lobbyists.  I guess you “gotcha” on the haircuts…nice-going corporate mainstream media and the majority of Americans who either continue to be sheep, motivated by pure selfishness without any regard for our fellow human being, and/or too lazy to think for yourself.

Ohhhhhh, I am sure that many, many wish that JRE was still around.  By the way, neither JRE nor his supporters owe Ms. Clinton or Mr. Obama anything.  The job of Mr. Obama and his campaign and Ms. Clinton and her campaign is, was, and continues to be showing JRE and his supporters why they should put their support behind one of them.  Thus far, Mr. Obama and Ms. Clinton and their respective campaigns have failed miserably.  Perhaps, I set the bar too high, but merely saying you are better than John McCain does not cut it.  I could write pages and pages of why John Edwards is the better candidate, as an individual, and the best Democrat to defeat John McCain, but the time for that has come and gone.  I have yet to see any meaningful, credible, showing by either Ms. Clinton or Mr. Obama that they will carry the torch lit by JRE (although neither had any problem stealing his ideas while he was still campaigning).

I then look to our local election and observe the venomous remarks being made in our local Assembly race.  The self-serving agenda behind such remarks is so obvious, while the goal motivating such remarks moves further and further away.

In the middle of 2007, I was very excited for the first time in over 25 years about the future of our country because I finally saw a person who had the courage, intelligence, and strength to lead our country with integrity and honesty motivated by fairness and justice for all.  As we approach the middle of 2008, I am as disgusted as I was in 1980 and I have seen nothing on the national or local level to cause me to feel otherwise.  I am greatly saddened that the same circumstances that launched Reagan into the White House in 1980 will likely launch McCain into the White House…because of a haircut…unbelievable.

I appreciate that some (or maybe many) of you will not like the content and/or tone of this message.  Perhaps, I could have written this more eloquently and been less direct and candid.  I wrote this the only way I know how.  Therefore, I hope that you will take a look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself the tough questions raised by this message before the tempting immediate knee-jerk reaction to just say that I am a jerk expressing sour grapes.  You see, I do not think I am much different than the very people Mr. Obama or Ms. Clinton need to win the Presidency and calling me a jerk or full of sour grapes is going to lead to the other John (McCain) being the next President of our United States of America.

I feel that each of us have failed the generation of our kids.  By the way, the more power, influence, and/or money that you have reflects the greater failure that you have been because you have had a greater opportunity to make a positive difference.  I hope that our kids can overcome our failure.