As one of those disparaged political outsiders its very hard to watch the Red & Blue debates and feel any satisfaction or hope that my outlook will ever be reflected on any large scale. As enrollment declines in both major parties, a large poll of non-affiliated voters just wait for the inevitable choice between which side of the head they will be struck on. The other half of the American voters opt out altogether and are vilified by self-righteous followers of a system declaring their ambivalence some sort cancer on democracy.
Watching the CNN debates this last week amplified two prominent issues. The GOP seems hell bent on a fence for Mexico's border and the Dems are splitting hairs about universal health care. While neither issue will be as important as the trillion dollar war on terror, each carries its own political baggage . . .
To be fair, Ron indicates that voting for the 'wall' was not his main concern and he highlights some of the underlying economic concerns which drives the issues. Even silly old Tommy Thompson acknowledges that after almost three whole debates, Republicans were not asked about health care. You would think that the only licensed physician on stage would be asked one of those questions. Or a guy who delivered 4,000 babies might have a valid concern about abortion.
I'm guessing all the Dems might have a good launching point for mandatory government health care from Mitt Romney's legislation in Massachusetts. Only about 60,000 residents of the commonwealth will be able to opt of that plan. Barack, Edwards and Hillary are falling all over themselves to provide a healthcare solution while never acknowledging that the original HMO act and their own profession (lawyers) may be the real cause for spiraling medical costs.
Forget the 'war' for the moment. While the alleviation of that cost might provide amble opportunity to replace funds for another, the reality is that immigration is only illegal because we say it is. Health care costs have risen because of liability and government mandates. The jobs people talk about are not something that is collectively owned by the people (yet) and therefore the average person has no say how a business hires or fires. The emotional appeal of universal health treatment to people raised on the dependency of government promises, directly correlates with the power of appropriation.