Yo,
I have been reading a lot of threads lately, and come to this conclusion;
1)There are people who think that displaying animosities and barbs are clear winners. True.
2)There are people who think that the quiet ones are insignificant thin skinned losers. True
The two parties in the US have done their jobs well. At least as evidenced on this board. Good thing there is no volume control on our ballots.
A difference in opinion or life history make one either a heroic patriot or un-american.
Or an enlightened progressive or an ignorant redneck.
Must be one or the other. No room for seeing both sides, even if one favors you. That makes one a wet noodle flip flopper. Certainly no room for considering a public policy that recognizes both sides of an issue.
No room for objectivity, either. I found that out first hand right here.
IMO, They're both (parties) making fools out of the electorate. Unbelievable spin all the way to downright lies, and folks drink it in. They will each do/say anything to gain/keep power. Obama and McCain are each only hubcaps on the two cars. Their personalities are being used as marketing tools. Nobody's got time to do any of their own research, but they have all kinds of time to blast each other on internet posting boards, based on party propaganda..
IMO, People need to be thinking about the positives/negatives of the party platforms as they impact them, not what the candidates say or look like. The parties created the candidates. The candidates work for the parties.
Our parties are themselves "special interest groups". They are each made up of many smaller "special Interest groups". This is very different from having the interests of most of the nation at heart.
And, I have to say (with sarcasm) all internet e-mails and websites are absolutely true, valid and worth repeating.

Can't possibly be created for political reasons.
I'll say this about intelligence. Until we as voters wise up and see through/beyond the two parties, we'll continue to get only what they choose to feed us. We can either keep throwing rocks at each other, or demand better in the types of people who we allow to make our most important decisions for us.
A "politician" in the workplace refers to someone who got where they are not because of knowledge, skill or ability, but because of who they know, or maybe are related to. It's a derogatory term. Yet, these are the same personalities who we encourage to enter public service. The whole system is really amazing to me.
We should all be insulted, but for much greater reasons.