I don’t have much time tonight, so I’m just going to jot down some thoughts and, if it amounts to something, whalaah – another post! Here’s what I’ve been thinking about. A third party! I don’t know how one would go about actually trying to start one that wasn’t headed by some whacko who had no chance. I truly believe there’s a market out there for something different than what we’re all pretty much stuck with. I can’t even imagine that Republicans who are not idiots and think for themselves could be happy with the state of Republicanism these days. Did anyone ever imagine that the Republican party would be beholden to someone like Rush Limbaugh. Even if he has 20 million listeners (as claimed) that’s not enough to make anyone a serious candidate. And, I have to believe that Limbaugh is turning decent people off by the droves these days. I listened to him for less than two minutes the other day and he made at least THREE BOLDFACED LIES that I could have refuted on the spot in just those three minutes. Now, I do know some people who actually listen to him and take everything he says as the “gospel” (I really HATE to use that term when talking about Limbaugh) but if they would just “fact check” him once in a while they’d understand that Limbaugh is to news what Pro wrestling is to the actual art of wrestling – PHONY AND MADE UP!

And, I know a lot of Democrats who are becoming increasingly impatient with the party that has the so-called 60 vote caucus in the Senate and still can’t get anything of substance done. For one, I really like (most of what I see from) Barack Obama. As I’ve stated on this site many times his refusal to hold the Bush administration accountable for their egregious actions was a deal breaker for me. I not only feel it’s a long term problem for this nation, in that we will be reliving some of the same abuses down the road should Republicans gain power once more, but I believe it’s the main reason Obama is having such trouble passing his agenda with a solid Democratic majority in Congress. He would seem so much more assertive and “in control” if he had chosen to demonstrate that the United States of America is a nation of laws and not men. He had the perfect opportunity and that opportunity is pretty much out of his grasp (unless something happens to the contrary SOON!). When I listen to Obama speak, his intelligence, his empathetic nature, his passion for the people of this nation, and his character all shine brightly. He’s just trying to be “nice” to Republicans and that is the exact opposite approach he needs to take to get their attention and their respect. It’s not too late for him to realize this, but he REALLY doesn’t have much more time – I’d say the investigations would have to be started by the end of the so-called August recess (where Congress abdicates it’s responsibility to get the health care legislation passed) or it will be too late.

OK, the third party. I would like to see a progressive leaning party with a staunch determination to balance the Federal Budget – AND TO START PAYING DOWN THE DEBT (which would include repaying the 3 to 4 trillion the Feds have “borrowed” from the Social Security trust fund – with no intention of ever paying it back and, while claiming the system is going broke!). I would like to see a party where NO CANDIDATE was allowed to take ANY SPECIAL INTEREST money. That means, they’d all have to raise their money by getting us “little people” to support them – like $25 at a whack. I don’t know it this is reasonable, but I can tell you watching this health care debate in Congress really emphasizes how “sick” our political system is. How can we expect all these Senators who have been virtually purchased by the health care industry to write legislation which endangers their “sugar daddy?” It’s obvious to me as I’m watching all of this that WE CAN’T! I mean Max Baucus is the “key” to getting a bill on the floor of the Senate and the guy has accepted over a million dollars from at least three different branches of the industry President Obama is trying to “reel in.” The guy (Baucus) could care less what’s best for the American public, he’s going to do what’s best for the people who have bought him off. And, the sad thing is that it’s no secret to anyone and you keep hearing everyone rationalizing the situation in a way the prevents the truth from being in the headlines. It should read something like “Despite overwhelming public support, the “public option” will not be in the health care bill passed this year by Congress because the leading Democrats in the Senate have been bought by the health care industry.” Nobody will put it that way, but EVERYONE WHO’S PAYING ATTENTION KNOWS THAT’S THE TRUTH!

So, I will check out for the evening wondering if I’m WAY OUT IN LEFT FIELD. Believe it or not, I think that a third party could be made up of a combination of moderate Republicans, moderate Democrats, and moderate independents. For example, when I take a close look at Dennis Kucinich and listen to everything he says (instead of the sound bites) he makes a lot of sense to me. On the other hand, once I forgive Colin Powell for his part in the Iraq invasion (he would have to repent publicly for me to do so) he would be a Republican who would fit in nicely – and I’m sure there are plenty of others. It would just be nice to have a bunch of leaders who you KNEW weren’t the “possession” of the large corporations who now are controlling virtually every important piece of legislation coming out of Congress. Maybe a third party with no affiliation to special interests could really create the “Change we can believe in.”