Reply #14: I care a lot. Your questions are ones that should be asked of every candidate... [View All]

...who hopes to attain to the office of President. But our first problem is that debates are carefuly-orchestrated media pablum, and none of your concerns are being addressed by any candidate except in glowing, "visionary" terms.

John Edwards continues to address the issue of poverty and corporate malfeasance, when he gets a chance to say *anything*, but I fear the entrenched right-wing/Fundie elements have a death grip on the country, and I fear it will take something as serious as Germany's fall to bring us back to center. Edwards talks about taking on corporate corruption, but the first piece of corporate corruption that needs addressing is the corruption of our elections, and there's a great silence on that subject from all the candidates. And I really think the Wellstone factor has to weigh heavily on the decisions of any candidate to speak out before having any real power to effect change. I heard Dennis Kucinich say, in 2004, that "fear is palpable in the halls of Congress." Even the least-compromised candidates, with the highest ideals, are faced with a machine that is bigger than their aspirations. Nothing is gained if they put themselves in front of a tank, in front of our own political "Tianenman Square," except to inspire a vision that may resonate with future generations, along with the mythology of our founding fathers and their actions to create our democracy.

Every question in your article must be addressed, if we are to survive, and yet it's impossible for any of us to say what our candidate will do because they deal in lofty metaphors to get elected, and then have to deal with the reality of a sold-out Congress -- while being sold out themselves, in many ways.

I'm sitting here making a circular argument which does nothing to contribute to the process you tried to start, other than to say how hopeless it all looks. Germany has been through its downfall and new birth into a modern and mature state. America seems to be in its rebellious adolescence, and I despair of seeing her grow to adulthood in my lifetime.

Your attempt to stir meaningful political discourse is much appreciated.