American First

As you all should know by now, I am not affiliated with any particular party.  I have some  major issues with both parties and I feel they are very slowly ruining our country.   The way I see it, either party with a large majority turns into a ravenous shark.  They lose all control and become so overwhelmed with the smell of blood that they start tearing apart all semblance of dignity.  They see something they want and proceed to grab it,  and their promises during the election become a distant memory.  Their position as a representative of the people ceases and their eyes roll to the back of their head as they bite into the blood- filled meat of power. 

Such is the case with our government here in Florida.  The Republican governor, senate and the house of representatives were beside themselves as they passed law after law that would neuter the Democrats and will lay the foundation for their feeding frenzy to continue well into the future.   What's most daunting though, is their assault on the fair voting districts amendment that the people approved in the last election.  (They've even resorted to using public funds to file a lawsuit stopping it!)  What are they afraid of?  Is it that they couldn't win elections without the help of gerrymandering?   That is the thorn of contention that I have with each of our major parties: They are in it for the power and to subjugate the opposing party.  Improving  the lives of the people becomes a perfunctory task, an irritating necessity that draws them away from the much more entertaining game of political chess. 


Just as with any herd, there is very little logic or consideration for the direction of movement except for the fact that the herd wishes it., and unless you get out of their way,  your considerate ideas and approaches to making improvements in the "way of things" will be trampled   These two groups have us separated and powerless through this endless round of "us versus them".   There is no real reason to be in a party except that it has simply always been so.  As Thomas Paine said at the beginning of his masterpiece  "Common Sense":   ".........  a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right".

The political parties split us as Americans and leave those who crave power for power's sake in charge.  We need American leaders, not Republican and Democratic leaders.  Only then will we truly see an effective, functioning government. 

In my humble opinion,

Chuck Marshall

p.s. !  Click and ad ..... I need the money.

Strip glorified Boss Hoggs of monopoly on power

This was actually published in the Orlando Sentinel on Jan. 17, 2010 but it's very pertinent right now. I will elaborate tomorrow.

Will someone please give Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell a medal for telling it like it is, again ("Fair districts? Parties unite in opposition," Wednesday). The drawing of congressional borders according to demographics should be illegal on the simple grounds that it violates our right to be represented as Americans and Floridians, not as Republicans or Democrats.

When I first learned of gerrymandering in civics class, I always pictured Boss Hogg from the Dukes of Hazzard, controlling his county with money and lies. His depiction was to be laughed at, and not taken seriously.

Here we are in the 21st century with the world's most powerful ruling body being run by a bunch of glorified Boss Hoggs. The bickering and partisan politics that go on in Washington and Tallahassee will never end as long as the people allow practices like this to continue

I hope that the growing group of independent voters will see this as a clear violation of their right to be heard and vote for this amendment to stop gerrymandering in all its forms. This goes to the core of what's wrong in Washington. The only way to "begin" to stop it is to remove the monopoly that the two parties have on power in our country.

Charles E. Marshall Clermont