If what you say is so true Roger, why is it that those in the poor neighborhoods in my city did not have it better during or after the Clinton era? Why has education been steadily declining there for over the last 50 years or more? Why is it that their conidtion is the same as it has been for decades and decades indeed since as long as I can remember....nearly forty years?

It is sad how this issue is politicised when both parties have not changed anything. It is not as you say. The middle class today is much better off than when I was a kid and the poor are no more better off, rather worse. Devisive politicizing will never cure the problems we have. Your class warfare approach is not the root nor the cure. The worled is changing and we will change with it of suffer the consequences. Employment needs have changed tremendously and people will be displaced and need to retrain themselves.

Those poorer folks that suffer this malaise will be forever perpetuated so long as they are convinced that the government can cure the disease and so long as you and those like you perpetuate these myths. So long as they believe that one side is for them and the other hates them, they will never be able to accept their own responsibility in the issue. Surely you cannot be so blind to actually believe the things you say. Political rhetoric is what it is.

How much time have you spent with those who suffer these conidtions Roger? I am not being smart...I just wonder. Have you ever worked with them? Have you gone to these poor neighborhoods, white, black, Hispanic or otherwise and talked with them and taken their pusle...gotten to see how they view life? How they live? What their dreams are? What they believe they can and cannot achieve? Do you have anyone in your family who has been systemically kept down as they have for these political purposes and goals? Don't you realize they have become pawns in a political battle? This crap disgusts me. You spew hate. Just as every Democrat is not the same, neither is every Republican despite your narrow black and white way of viewing things. But, noneteless, both parties are to blame and so are you and I as we are the government.

I have been fortunate never have had to be there in that spot. My paretns were not as lucky but pulled htemselves up. They both grew up in projects. I have had family members who had lived there...my grandmother lived in one of these neighborhoods where I befriended quite a few of her neighbors. I have conducted focus studies of their views and attitudes. While clearly I cannot know their existence, I have been fortunate enough to have witnessed what occurs and hear the stories. I say fortunate in that it gives me a different take and reminds me to be thankful for what I do have and have achieved. I was able to help bring improvement in healthcare to these communites from what I learned. WE all need to descend into these areas and help these people pull themselves up.

This is not a political issue. It is real life! Is race an issue. Damn straight it is and we need to get those effected to believe they can achieve IN SPITE of it. A few weeks back I went to a campaign event. There were more than a few Black and Hispanic Republicans who say the ame things I say and believe as I do, whose families are all Democrats and many still down. They are from these neighborhoods. They have pulled themselves up and are working to improve things because they believe in opportunity and that with work, one can achieve the American dream as they are doing themselves. Some of them have agreed to work with me on imporving education in these areas and are committed to changing existence. It is not about politics. It is about doing the right thing. Instead of spewing hatred, why not suggest some ways that Dems and Repubs can work together to change things and give people opportunity rather than handouts. You say you want change. I asked for some assistance in the form of feedbvack here to promote change and you decided I was not worthy of helping people. Quite nice and evident of where you are. Why don't you start right here and stop making everything in life about politics? Do you have ANY positive ideas about what we as citizen's can do rather than what you think the government needs to do? I don't hear ANYTHING like that ever coming from you. I hear your anger and hate though.

It is time for all of us to put partisanship aside and stop thinking about our own desires and to reach hands across the aisle and make change happen at the local grass roots level, Democrats and Republicans and Independents and those of the smaller parties...We the People. Elections are important, but if there is anything this election cycle has proven and my time right here at Miyard, is how counterproductive partisanship is. It divides. And quite frankly I don't care how you choose to exercise your voting rights. It is your choice as it is mine. WE ahve different beliefs. That is it. Teh problem here is the inability to accept the differences and respectfully disagree. People will never be able to work together if every two years we are at each other's throats. You want change Roger? Well guess what? We can all start right here, today. We can all do it by respecting the rules of the games, honoring our constitution, allowing each other freedom of expression, coming up with ideas to do things, how to get involved and then doing something with it.

I have always been a pretty positive guy. I want things to change too. What is going on here has become about personality and isnults and character assassinations, not reasoning and undertanding. Someone on another board said that even the rastas are getting in on it. Runny, Rastas fighting over Babylon....amazing how "far" we have come. What good is any of this? It is time for me to get away form the negative things going on here, but I am not leaving. If you want to kick me off this board as you often threaten to, go ahead. Otherwise I am hanging around and I am going to challenge this crap becaue if one can come to udnerstanding with what is going on here, one can anywhere. I am getting away form this anger. And if I see something that looks no good, I might have something to say about it. And as always, I don't give a damn about what any of you think about me, if you want to be my friend, if you want to hang out with me in Jamiaca or of you like me. Not important and friendship is rare an special anyway, not something to be taken lightly. I got more important things to do.

Roger, you said I was a radical activist. You know what? You're damn right I am!

Peace and respect and challenging all to stir it up in the most criss and irie ways!