After nearly eight years of Bush/Cheney manipulation the war profiteers and petroleum conglomerates are making record profits while the infrastructure, schools and hospitals are suffering a precipitous decline.  It is obvious Republican goals do not benefit the average citizen, but rather the needs of the wealthy.  Why, then, do middle-class voters continue to support the Republican Party?  Perhaps they still believe the rhetoric that they will be lifted by that "rising tide", however the reality is obvious: are you better off with $4/gallon gasoline and food prices doubling?  Have your investments made you wealthy or have you simply lost the money you invested in mutual funds?  It's time to evaluate what has actually happened and disregard the political nonsense spewed by right-wing talk-show hosts, Republican Party spokespersons and so-called "think tanks."

If the United States is to continue as a world leader in the 21st century, we need to forget business as usual and define a path forward not dictated by petroleum interests and wealthy political manipulators.  Continued support of the Republican approach to government simply continues the decline in our infrastructure and mortgages the future to generate increasing profits for the ultra-wealthy.  Those are not true American values.