Democrats, Republicans both scorn their bases

From McClatchy New Bureau (real news for discerning thinkers:)

Lawmakers buck party bases on drilling, bailout
By James Rosen | McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — In a dazzlingly short span of days, Democrats and Republicans each have caved on a core issue.

Bowing to pressure by Republicans, Democratic congressional leaders agreed this week to let the 26-year-old congressional ban on offshore oil- and natural-gas drilling expire Tuesday, when the federal fiscal year ends.

The move has angered environmentalists, a key constituency for Democrats.

"The environmental community is united in its opposition to drilling," said Anna Aurilio, who heads the Washington office of Environment America, which represents conservation groups in 26 states. "There is no need to open our coasts to drilling."

At the same time, President Bush, Republican presidential nominee John McCain and Republican congressional leaders are pushing their party peers to pass a massive financial-services bailout that would dwarf any government program since the New Deal.

That prospect is infuriating fiscal conservatives and small-government activists who underpin the Republican Party.

"This may be your last chance to protect taxpayers and our economy from what could be the greatest fiscal policy fiasco in our nation's history," Pete Sepp, a policy analyst with the National Taxpayers Union, a Washington group that tracks federal spending, wrote in a letter to lawmakers.

With elections less than six weeks away, is this any way for senators and representatives to treat their parties' most fervent loyalists?

I assume these politicians - of both parties - pander to lobbyist interests (and totally disregard their 'bases') because in our country, the lobbyists pay for election campaigns. McCain's campaign is actually being run by an active lobbyist for Freddie Mac.

That's right -- for all of his tough talk about lobbyists in Washington -- McCain's right hand man, Rick Davis, is still listed as an officer and lobbyist for Freddie Mac... and is still being paid by them. Talk about 'in our face...'

'We the people' simply vote in these staged elections, now rife with bogus regulations, bullying and electoral cheating.

That, and they know we have no choice. We have no alternative party. They have a political monopoly.

By the way - again - why don't we yet have a choice? What will it take for us to pull together and build a viable and strong third party in this country?

Nader is right in that regard; we'll never get our country back without one.

The Democrat and Republican machines have auctioned themselves to the corporate and banking behemoths that now run our government. The rest is simply a staged production to keep us all working and paying taxes.

Peaceful consumers -- that's all we are. Although the consuming part is going to slow and eventually cease as we all lose our homes and our jobs. I suppose at that point they'll simply sell all of our food and goods overseas and patrol our streets with Star Wars police squads wearing black body armor.