As I have been saying for a number of years now, in my view, the political   
   system in the U.S.A. is in a virtual state of paralysis, and to be quite   
   honest, it is a farce.   
      
   Why?   
      
   Because quite simply, the American people are forced to choose between two   
   parties -- and only two parties -- which never really change. After   
   carefully watching and studying American politics for a while, one can   
   easily guess how each party is going to react to a particular issue with   
   their eyes closed, and they will probably be right. That is how stale the   
   situation has become.   
      
   Sadly, without at least one other major political party involved in the   
   American political process, I seriously doubt that the situation will ever   
   change, at least not by very much. The Republicans and the Democrats will   
   just keep on doing what they have always done, because there is no   
   motivation to change. There is no real threat from a third political party   
   to stir them up. And please don't tell me the Tea Party. We all know that   
   they are just an offshoot of the Republican Party.   
      
   Furthermore, it is my view that American elections, especially presidential   
   elections, aren't really about the issues, or about who is most qualified to   
   run for office, but rather about who can raise the most money. Unless an   
   individual can achieve a particular financial threshold, he or she can   
   forget about running for office. There might be some very talented people   
   who could do a great job as president, but they will never be given a   
   chance, because their financial resources just don't make the grade. What   
   would America's forefathers think of this current situation? Would they   
   approve of it?   
      
   That is why I view democracy in America as a game, and as an illusion.   
   American voters are made to think that they have a choice in the matter, and   
   that their votes count for something,  but do they really? I don't think so.   
   I suspect that the endgame is already predetermined by Big Business and   
   other hidden interests. But, in order to maintain the illusion of freedom,   
   democracy and choice, every four years the powers-that-be go through the   
   motions and pretend that the common people have a choice in the matter.   
      
   If you have been an observer of American politics for a long time, and more   
   specifically, if you have been an American voter for a long time, no doubt   
   you will know exactly what I am talking about. Regardless of which party   
   wins an election, do things really change all that much? After voting for so   
   many years, has your personal situation improved all that much? Can you   
   honestly say that elected politicians are performing the will of the people;   
   or do they simply do as they please once they are elected, or perhaps better   
   said, they do as they are ordered to do by the hidden powers who actually   
   put them in office -- the Big Money boys?   
      
   With good reason political apathy is so rampant across the United States.   
   Sadly, it is also that very apathy which makes it easier for a candidate to   
   win a term in office. I can't help but wonder if people are intentionally   
   discouraged from voting, so that the playing field becomes easier for those   
   who are intended to win.   
      
   I think President Obama perfectly illustrates what I am talking about here.   
   Many of you will no doubt remember all of the rhetoric that was used during   
   his presidential campaign. "Yes we can!" and "Change you can believe in".   
   You probably got sick and tired of hearing it so often. Change? Oh really?   
   So where is it?   
      
   Clearly, there are some significant differences between former president   
   George W. Bush and current president Barack Hussein Obama, such as their   
   views regarding gay and lesbian rights, abortion, embryonic stem cell   
   research, etc. However, my problem is that there are some things which are   
   very much the same. Furthermore, the longer that he is in office, the more   
   we see how President Obama isn't really all that different from Bush.   
      
   A case in point is the fact that the United States is STILL involved in two   
   wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, even if those wars are supposedly winding   
   down. But what about Libya? That certainly wasn't George W. Bush's doing.   
   Obama got the United States involved in Libya all on his own. And how is   
   Obama eventually going to deal with Syria and Iran? Economic sanctions and   
   embargos are not going to dissuade either one of them.   
      
   But what really motivated me to write this current commentary is the news   
   that a week ago, President Obama extended the controversial provisions of   
   the American Patriot Act for another four years. Amazingly, Obama didn't   
   even approve the four-year extension in person. According to online news   
   reports, he used a so-called "autopen machine" while he was attending the G8   
   meeting in France. In approving the extension, Obama commented "I think it   
   is an important tool for us to continue dealing with an ongoing terrorist   
   threat."   
      
   We all know how much George W. Bush abused the American Patriot Act by   
   outright spying on regular Americans, even without court approval. Without   
   more stringent oversight, how do we know that Obama won't do -- or hasn't   
   already done -- the very same thing? And please notice that, just like   
   George W. Bush, President Obama used the terrorism card as his justification   
   for extending the American Patriot Act.   
      
   So again I ask, where is the difference? Where is the change that we can   
   believe in? When will the United States stop engaging in its foreign wars   
   and live in peace with its neighbors? When will American presidents stop   
   favoring the rich and the elite while the poor are forced to foot the bill?   
   When will the Democrats and the Republicans face a serious challenger?   
      
   It's time for a serious shakeup in American politics. This stagnation needs   
   to end.   
      
      
      
   Jeff Snyder, SysOp - Armageddon BBS  Visit us at endtimeprophecy.org port 23   
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