madame_zora said:
A changing of the guard has to take place before we can begin the job of restructuing the system, which is also corrupt. It will start with electing people who are not running to get or stay rich.
First let me say, "I AGREE!" Here's the problem though: I don't think it's really so much about those running to get or stay rich (most politicians don't get rich IN politics - but did before, or do afterwards), it's about having the power. Much as I really didn't care for the "Contract with America" that Gingrich brought back in '94, it did have some solid ideas in it (that most Republicans have now thoroughly forgotten and disavowed). For instance: self imposed term limits. Some congressman from '94 actually held to that, and stepped down, but guys like Delay and his minions apparently don't see it that way.
And a system which rewards those for "playing along" by voting with his agenda so you can get pork barrel money thrown at your district to get you re-elected (since your voters see you "got someting done") is definitely a broken system, which will eventually bankrupt us as a country - okay, maybe default is the right term, but you get the idea.
Sad, truly sad. Fortunately, polls are showing that even Republican voters are fed up with the current guard. So there's hope, at least....
* steps off soapbox *