This may shock you

but Im a Republican. Thats right, I said it. Or, I should be a Republican.

Well, to be accurate, Im a fierce Independent who most closely identifies with the most far right fringes of CLASSIC Republicanism, NOT its demon step-child this most recent awakening has produced.

I mean the classic, as Thomas Paine said, 'that government is best which governs least' type. Mostly because I have tremendous faith in people, especially in the information age. However, somewhere along the way, big business took over. 

"What's good for GM is good for America" is exactly wrong, in every way. Government should be involved only in enforcing fair practices in trade, both foreign and domestic. The market will work most efficiently when government backs off trying to help business. 

BUT (and here is where we part company), it must not advocate for any side other than the American citizen, ever. 

Every time I hear a representative of the government refer to Americans as 'consumers', it says that their priorities are not straight. Government does not act on behalf of business to regulate the consumers. Government regulates business, when necessary, on behalf of the American people. 

Businesses do not have a right to free speech. Or foreign policy. Or domestic policy.

Once freed from that burden, they are free to adapt to the needs of the American people, instead of adapting us.

All of this presupposes that this current 2 party system is the right system, which I reject. Why do we think competition is best everywhere except in our politics? Aren't the parties just businesses? When did independence become a bad thing to the right? 

Now I know what you're thinking, that government shouldn't be in the business of providing services as well. I would prefer that the federal government took an active managerial role to public issues with the states taking the lead. The right answers are not always uniform nationwide, but rather regional. The federal government should play more of an honest broker role and banker, of course.

As a nation, we have established certain priorities that we collectively wish the federal government to also administer like education, emergency services, national parks and monuments and historical preservation. One of the services I feel strongly about, though, is healthcare right along with the federal judiciary. For the current brand of right wing Republican, states rights is code for bigotry. For this reason a strong federal judiciary is needed, with tough laws to protect all Americans from any discrimination.  

Healthcare is a humanitarian priority that we owe to every American. I think that no American wishes to see another suffer and would even support preventative care. More on this coming.

Our balance is off as a nation and this election is really going to be important. I think we are better than how we have been focused grouped. On Sep 12, 2001 we were all Americans. We can be again.