I often find myself in at least general agreement with Rhonda Thurman, particularly when she targets waste and abuse in the administration of the Hamilton County school system. She is right to be both skeptical and critical of our county school board and superintendent. It is a pity that she doesn't apply that same approach to her analysis of the current administration and the federal government in general.

The Bush tax cuts that Republicans like Ms. Thurman love to trumpet so loudly, and to which Democrats such as candidates Kerry and Edwards object so vociferously, are miniscule and hardly worth attention. They are just a drop in the bucket one way or the other. Arguing over them is like arguing over the placement of deck chairs on the Titanic.

The real problem with the federal government is massive spending, and in this regard Republicans have conspired with Democrats over the past 40+ years to rack up trillions in debt for our children and grandchildren to pay off. Bush's deficits are the biggest on record, but Kerry (or Edwards) would likely do little better. Whether it is tax and spend or borrow and spend, the common denominator is "spend" ... and that is exactly what (in addition to "legislate" and "regulate") both so-called major parties love to do.

Republicans love to hit Democrats for being fiscally irresponsible, but
our current Republican president has run up the biggest deficits since
Reagan (another Republican). And wasn't it our current president's
father who said "read my lips, no new taxes" and then reneged on his
promise when it suited him? Neither Big Government party is fiscally
responsible.

Democrats (lately, since the presidential campaign began) love to
criticize Republicans for the war in Iraq and the assault on our civil
liberties via the USA Patriot Act. They are right to slam these egregious actions now, but where were they when the Bush administration put them in place? Going right along with them, that's where. Both Senators Kerry and Edwards voted for the resolution allowing the President to initiate combat in Iraq. Both Senators Kerry and Edwards voted for the hideously misnamed USA Patriot Act. There's nothing like an election year to change their tune; but to me their actions speak much more loudly than their words.

Out of billions of dollars in deficit spending, there's not a nickel's
worth of difference between the two entrenched parties in Washington, DC.

Rhonda, the government will continue taking huge chunks of your and your family's money as long as you keep voting for the same ol' same ol'. And that includes Republicans OR Democrats. If you really want to keep your money, and your individual rights as well, it's time to forget the left and right wings of the Big Government Party and their illusory
differences, and vote Libertarian.

Dare to open your mind to something new (as of 1776, anyway). If you want to hear candidates who actually have a clue about fiscal responsibility, not to mention the proper role of government as protector and not violator of your rights, please come to UTC at 7:00 next Monday night, March 1, and hear the Libertarian side of the story. Your children and your children's children will thank you for it.

Joe Dumas
joe@joedumas.com