“Power corrupts. But it does more than that. Power attracts the corrupt, then corrupts them further.”

(-; I like it

The proof is in Washington inside the beltway.

It's true but sad.

A lot of depressing TRUTH in that one!

Always has, always will. That is why in a republican form of government officials are strictly limited as to what they may do in the name of the People. The political parties of Democrats and Republicans certainly have demonstrated this point. Power is all it is about now.

M. Brown and F.M. Sweeney. Just a suggestion. Turn your sadness and depression to controlled anger at the heartlesssness and lack of compassion these people really have despite their guise as sheep and do something about it. If one truly cares, happiness comes from doing the right thing despite the odds. Don't forget, David did the right thing and took out Goliath successfully. Like I said, only a suggestion based solely on your posts as I don't claim to know either of you personally and don't pretend to imply either of you do nothing. I do get concerned when I see people who see the big picture as the two of you seem to and defeatest words are used. It makes me think these people think the war is over and it's sad or depressing and we lost. Again, sorry if none of this applys to you but I do see it often enough to think it's important to keep defeatest attitudes to a minimun. They are actually morale breakers and dampen all around enthusiasm. They hurt, not help. That's why I must say something about it especially when it seems to be goodhearted people making the statement and then stray off with helplessness and confusion their guides, Nice having contact with you.

Shallow, shallow, shallow. We all want power to control the environmnet in our front yard, on our street, and in our towns, villages, states, nations, and world. Politics is when we come together with our neighbors, villagers, citizens of states, nations, and the world to to control the environment around us. Individuals will and have forever come forward to lead and to serve this effort. Politics is simply the art of making policy to effect this control. To be accepted and adored and placed in a position of trust by your fellows can be intoxicating and yes sometimes lead to abuse. Democracy and frequent elections is the best safeguard.

Organized crime and government have a lot in common, except for the organized part. Government lacks it. Is it any coincidence that the Pres_nt (no ID) is a product of Chicago politics?

The more you try to control a situation, the less control you have over it. Freedom works. I don't try to control the environment outside my front yard; however, I recognize the duty, stewardship, and ownership of property. Obviously Waffler has never owned a large portion of land, nor has he experienced what it takes to let freedom exist in a natural state without trying to "control" it. Land and nature have a life of their own; at best, man can only be a steward on land -- it is unnatural for im to control it. Spending summers and large portions of my young life growing up on my grand-father's farm certainly impressed upon my mind that land, property, and stewardship are natural commodities of life. You cannot "control" the land naturally. I cannot force or control the sun to shine or the seed to germinate; albeit, by asserting stewardship I may create heightened conditions wherein plants and animals can thrive to the best of their creation, by building furrows and irrigation. Man's natural state of existence is what the Founders sought to establish within a body politic. They realized the de facto paradigm of "control" that man regresses into by wishing to exercise "control" over man, but they sought to sidestep this issue by adhering to "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God". Obviously this way of thinking eludes Waffler, as he has no idea what in the hell I'm talking about. Control is an arbitrary assessment and perception of the weak minded who find more perceived security in tampering with the natural than simply by living in accordance with it. The best safeguard against the abuse of power is an educated populace in the principles of liberty and freedom, not in the septic-ideology of might-makes-right. Once the populace no longer understands the principles of liberty and freedom -- and they only understand and accept the might-makes-right sophistry -- all a politician has to do to become an accepted tyrant is to get the majority on his side. This idea is as old as political science itself -- Machiavelli was a smart man.

If I needed proof that capitalism is evil, this is it.