Will you join me in boycotting the US 2008 Presidential Primary Season?

Oh no no no.. You can't include the last line of your answer without specifics . Whats the solution or the means to a solution you are alluding to.

Oh You are bringing back memories. When I was first out of college and FT for 12 years after I worked with Mentally challenged adults and children. Most of the time was spent with dually diagnosed individuals with not only developmental challenges but who had a Mental Health diganosis as well. I was very involved in lobbying and reaching out to comunities to help them understand their new neighbors. I once travelled with a parents group to Albany NY to protest cuts in funding that would reduce the level of supervision the state was willing to provide for their children. I got to speak with a few aides only and then we had our meeting with the Speaker cancelled when another protest group broke through security and threw themselves on the floor and I am pretty sure was responsible for the bomb threat that was soon after called in. I was very passionate and loved all my residents even the ornery ones. Ok especially the ornery ones. I still try to stay involved but I burnt out and I am ashamed to say I went to work for the "man" in a large corporate environment. I miss social services so much and I understand your point completely. Now you can see that I have done a complete 180 and lost my faith in our system of government. That is why I had to find a new field of work. I had lost my sparkle. I hope you never do!

Sorry, what I meant is study what it is that you want changed and then start talking/writing/calling your state representative and legislators. My issues are primarily actively seeking change for special needs children and the mentally ill. It takes hours or time and research and then it takeas many people to join in the fight for change. Change is slow until more people understand the need. Look at Iraq. Look at the environmental issues. Medical care. I have a friend's son that needs surgery on his heart to live and their insurance has denied it. They do not have the 500K the hospital demands. John Hopkins is evaluating him in August but NO SURGERY until money in place. Just examples of politics in action-or not.

I know that writing your elected officials is the solution that was given in High School Civics class but I've only seen it work marginally at the local level. The parties will choose who they want anyway regardless of the primaries. Again I think some of you are missing the point I am only talking about using the primaries to send a message not the election. Its the parties I want to send a message to not the President. This is the only thing they care about and so that's where we can make a point about the wastefullness of partisan tactics. The parties are the ones that force elected officials to focus on sabotaging the other party, raising money and winning seats rather than being effective. Since they will disregard our choices anyway we don't have to feed into their little game and allow them to declare a clear mandate by choosing one candidate over another.

Oh the working middle class ---we are screwed!!. I think the best we can do is not give them the impression that we like one over another. I would like to hear alternatives but I am frustrated and this is all I've got. thanks for responding.

Whoa!! I can see you are dressed for world conquest. I am also all for making sure certain politicians don't get to life high off the public "dole" for being ineffective, but the solution is to get out of the way of capitalism not destroy it with an ever increasing union and socialist agenda. There are enough laws to keep industry in check we just have to enforce them. I agree they have to prove probable cause to spy on us legally. Let's just start by sending a message and then decide on a less drastic next step other than plunging the entire country into anarchy. I do like your passion though.

It's a deal !!At the first sign they are out of line .. they are all yours and I will have your back!!!

....Maybe you are right. Fanaticism is only useful when properly directed. I will do my best to send a calm, collected and calculated message to the powers that be. Lead by example and not let injustice stand by supporting the laws that help society. But I will polish my armor, should they decide to step out of line.

With the country so divided I am not sure any party would win an election by default. However the primaries are just to determine the voters preference for nominees. The parties themselves can choose whomever they want to run on their own parties ticket. Primaries pit members of the same party against one another. So there is not an instance during primaries where one party would win over the other. I do understand your point we should never boycott an actual election we should make our vote count in that instance. Not voting would distort the message being sent.

Its only that you are an adult now. You will not be swayed by a President who is treated like a rock star by the media. I hope we never have a President like that again. The President should be quietly competent and not draw so much attention to their persona.

right. With maturity comes a different view on life. JFK really did not do anything while he was in the office..but he gave the illusion that he was "getting this country moving again." LBJ did far more for civil rights and viet nam. NIxon got us into China..a dubious accomplishment. Ford healed the country from Nixon's watergate. Carter we could have done without. I made a lot of money during Reagon, Bush no.41, and Clinton... Now we will have the first women President... it will be different...and Bill will be the First Gentleman..lol