Well said Harv

The saddest truth to it all is that although many people, and I would even dare say a majority of the populace, feels much the same as you and I still the question is, what can we do?

I would say that public opinion and polls would help the congress see the light, but that ain't happenin. Or, I could say "write your congresspeople, email 'em, call 'em", but that doesn't seem to be working either as their email/mail boxes and voice mails are full to overflowing with John Qs ideas and that dudn seem to be gettin their attention either. I could even say gather together and march on the capital in an effort to be heard but that's been done too, with no result. These are the things we've been told all along to try to make our opinions known to our legislators the "right way" but to borrow a line from an old Bob Dylan song "there were ten thousand talkers and nobody listenin".

While open revolt is always a possibility, it's more than unlikely to happen. So, with all that having been said, all that any peaceloving American can do is to continue the above methods until the next round of elections and then make your opinion known at the polls, as sadly this is all we're left with.

Regarding more choices in the political parties, there's already more parties than can be counted on your fingers and toes but the only 2 of any relevance are the 2 big ones we all know. Historically even when a 3rd party candidate has arisen that sequesters a significant block of the voting public to have some impact all it ever serves to do is to take a small share away from the other 2 and at times even divides one factions voters clearly enough that it would hand the win to the other party in the process.

The Tea Bag Party is likely the 1st independent party in many years that will have a major draw in the polls next go-round and I won't begin to believe this will make any real definable difference overall. With its members basically hard right leaning members or ex-members of the Republican party, they would only truly serve to divide the Republican vote and in turn hand the win to the Democrats so they could continue their "drunken sailor hittin port" spending spree afterwards, even worse is that then they would likely feel an even BIGGER right to do so

So, if there are any other good answers or alternatives out there, I think we all could do with some help these days.

I know all the other equipment dealers and shop owners I talk to are more than just worried about our economy and the direction our government is headed these days, they're down right frightened! Many of the shops I've dealt with over the years are either gone or have downsized and/or cut salaries and overhead to try and stay in business and are struggling just to keep their doors open these days, myself included.

I've said it before but .... I initially hoped the USA could survive 8yrs of the puppetmasters policies and mismanagement but now I wonder if there'll be much left after just 4