For that I am grateful.

If I weren't in love, I'd go crazy. That's my only salvation. Love. Yes, love diverts me from the annoying aspects of life. At the end of the day, when I reflect, before going to bed, I tell myself I'm one of the luckiest guys in the world. Because I am in love. With someone. And with life, generally. And it all comes down in the end to the good fortune of being in love. I could live under all sorts of hostile conditions and still be happy. As long as I have my love to fall back on. Love transcends everything. Politics. The economy. You name it. As long as I have love in my life, I'm all right. Love is my consolation. Really, it's my everything. Good health helps, too. To be able to feel good. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. And living one day at a time, too. That way I don't worry so much about the future. I savor the moment. Knowing I love. And am loved. Today. For that I am grateful. --Jim Broede

It's an insult. On all of us.

What we need in America and the world is a sense of overhaul. We have to find a way to get things right. So far, we've botched it. With the everyone-for-himself mentality. We've got to change that attitude. Here in America, we don't have democracy. We have a ruling elite. People with money call the shots, so to speak. A plutocracy instead of a democracy. Our Congress and the presidency are controlled by rich people and corporations. Look at the make-up of the Senate, for instance. Almost all of 'em are millionaires. They have rich contributors. Influenced more by lobbyists than by ordinary, middle class citizens. And most of us are oblivious of the workings of government. Of the manipulation. Because we are too busy with just making a living. And caring for our families. Our loved ones. We only take a cursory look at the issues during an election campaign. We hear sound bites. The stupid and misleading campaign commercials. Shallow presentations of the personalities. Oh, so many distortions. We're being lied to all the time. And the lying elite get away with it. Because we are either too lazy or too stupid or to overwhelmed with the other details of life to get it all straight. I'm beginning to think that democracy is a lost cause. Mainly because the masses of people are gullible or downright stupid or ill-informed. For proof of this, look at the way the current presidential campaign is being waged. It's an insult. On all of us. --Jim Broede

I wonder if he hates himself.

I treat some politicians with disrespect. But that doesn't particularly bother me. Because most politicians are disrespectful. I just give them a taste of their own medicine. Most politicians tear down and disparage their opponents. Showing them utter disrespect. I like Barack Obama because I think he's more respectful than most politicians. He's relatively kind to his opponent. But not totally. Because he's running against a sleazeball. There's no getting around it. John McCain hopes to win by maligning Obama. Grossly distorting his positions on issues. Sometimes, I wonder if McCain hates himself. If he did, I'd have more respect for him. --Jim Broede

Let's spread it around.

We Americans have to start thinking in broader terms. Rather than allowing the power elite to dictate to us. Our policymakers have us trained. And duped. Into thinking that the proper American way is to allow a free rein economy. In which it's all right for the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer. Instead of spreading the wealth around. Seems to me that greed predominates. Lots of millionaires and billionaires. But even more poor people. People who live hand to mouth. Many in this world die of starvation and malnutrition. While many of us live like privileged gluttons. We are not serving the common good. But we don't see it. Or we don't care. It's an everybody-for-himself mentality. I like the idea of taking from the rich and giving to the poor. Precisely what Barack Obama proposes. Higher taxes on the people and businesses making more than $250,000 a year. And lower taxes for people in the lower and middle classes. Of course, John McCain and his Republican cronies say that's unfair. That the rich are already overtaxed. I don't buy that. The rich can afford to pay more. Because the less affluent often pay more with their lives. Take the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, for instance. You don't find rich people in the armed forces. No, the poor and less educated young people generally go off to war. And pay with their lives. And who reaps the financial benefits of war? And who starts the wars? Yes, the rich and affluent and old politicians. They've got plenty of money to spare. Let's spread it around. --Jim Broede

It's sad. No more a maverick.

Believe me, John McCain is no maverick. He's sold his soul to cater to the Republican party line. He's sold out to the conservatives. To the base of the GOP. McCain used to have guts. A conscience. But now he's turned into a doddering old man. He's abandoned his principles. Maybe because he was willing to try anything to win the election. But he miscalculated. Badly. Thinking that the only way to win was to be something other than himself. Maybe he just turned himself over to his handlers. The Karl Rovians. It's sad to see McCain go down this way. Maybe he would have stood a chance. If only he had remained a maverick. --Jim Broede

It's time we got her un-elected.

Oh my, oh my. Now some of the McCainians and Bushies and neo-conservatives are telling us that some of us aren't real Americans. Maybe that includes me. After all, I'm not a super patriot. I'm not ready to declare America above all us. I'm a liberal. And a socialist-sympathizer. And I suppose, according to my congressional representative Michelle Bachmann, that makes me a communist. And very, very un-American. Bachmann has called for a probe in Congress. To separate the tried and true Americans (she's one of 'em) from the ones that can't be trusted, such as Barack Obama. Bachmann has been a guest on talk shows lately and she's a piece of work. Even out Sarah Palining Sarah Palin. That takes some doing. Palin, of course, tells us that the real Americans are mostly in the small towns off the beaten track rather than in big cities where liberals find their havens. Oh, yes, it's cleansing time. Just like it was in Nazi Germany. When it was decided to get rid of the Jews. Only now, we're gonna focus on the liberals and Muslims and Obama and his associates. Anyway, maybe I have reason to feel not too safe. I actually reside in Bachmann's district here in Minnesota. My neighbors helped to get her elected. Indeed, that's scary. Now it's time we got her un-elected. --Jim Broede

Rob the poor. Give to the rich.

Yes, I understand why John McCain doesn't want the wealth spread around. Because McCain is wealthy. When you own 7 or 8 homes -- well, that's a sign of wealth. Hard enough these days for the middle class to own one home, let alone multiple homes. McCain even has difficulty keeping track of all his homes. His money, too. It's like me. With books. I have so many books, I can't keep count. Impossible. Same thing with music CDs. Can't even listen to 'em all. It'd take me years and years to play all the music on those recordings. Anyway, I'm not afraid to share my books and CDs. I give 'em away all the time. I believe in sharing my riches. I'm even willing to give away some of my money. In taxes. And to charitable causes. I don't complain. If anything, I probably don't give away enough. I really have more than I need. Anyway, it's a laugh that McCain fancies himself as a defender of the middle class. Guys like Joe the Plumber. Joe doesn't know it, I guess. But McCain would screw him. McCain believes in giving more and more to the rich. Thinking the money will trickle down to benefit Joe. Eventually. Won't happen. Joe even has a lien against his property. Poor Joe. His dream may stay a dream. And maybe that's what he deserves. After all, Joe has been duped. Like so many of the middle class. He's gonna vote for McCain. And that means more of the same. Rob the middle class and give to the rich. --Jim Broede