I believe the question that needs to be discussed and answered, very loudly nationally on every outlet(for weeks on end if necessary), is: if you believe the politicians(Bush included) aren't working for the America people, WHO ARE THEY WORKING FOR/ TOWARD?!?

Grn Mtn,

Is that the question you meant?

If so, as a teen, my old man used to always quote Pete Seeger's phrase about how nothing is going to change until the suckers wake up. When he'd say that, I'd roll my eyes, but over the past fifteen years I have learned what that means.

No, a very large group of politicians do not work for us or represent us. They are beholden to other interests but make it seem like they are our interests.

How do we change this? The change is probably too fundamental and drastic to ever be successful. But to start, as Americans we must get back to what matters - a quality of life that matters. We have to get away from chasing the dollar and property and start chasing things that really do matter - family, friends, personal relationships and the human condition.

Seriously, this might sound silly, but take out a dollar bill and look at it and start thinking how powerful we have allowed that simple piece of paper to become - and not in just economic means. We exploit the earth for it, people kill for it, we use it to "value" our lives, instead of looking at the true valuable things.

Our government and industry does not push these values on us. They push the actually meaningless ones on us - what clothes to wear, what cars to drive, what house to live in and if we don't like our bodies, out culture encourages all sorts of modifications.

As Americans, we have one of the best philosophies in the world, but in our hands we have not nurtured it and taken care of it.

Changing all this IS the question; sadly, about the only way I know how is to start with my own little world and family.

Now, is this any better, or am I still the union pres?