LET 'EM SWEAT...

Many of us are independents; neither Republicans nor Democrats; still we share a common urge to rid the White House of Mr. Obama's divisiveness and her wife's lack of pride on America (don't forget that according to her own account she was proud to be an American only five years ago for the FIRST time, her words not mine). Being black myself I think issues like race discrimination and racial relations are best treated as part of a larger and more complex dynamics rather than as "the" problem itself. Putting it in the spotlight will prove strategically detrimental for the African American community in the long run and could even jeopardize the incredibly huge steps forward this country has taken in terms of racial equality.

Thus, a large segment of the electorate, albeit begrudgingly, look at the republican primaries as their only hope. But a republican win is widely seen as the less of two evils more than the solution to America's current crisis of values. In this context, some people, including heavyweights within the republican establishment, have voiced concern and even fear at the battle between Romney and Gingrich I, on the contrary, see this as a unique opportunity to somewhat even the score in this otherwise rigged game: the people v.s. the politicians. We all take for granted none of them will keep his promises; we all know the winner will go back to Washington, where they all belong, to look after their interests and of those groups that paid for the campaigns, and we all know that only a 30% of what they now swear they will do will be actually done. So, let them sweat, let them fight, let them make our day, at least once in four years; let them remember who's picking the tab after all; let them remember, for once, who pays for their hefty salaries and benefits, for their travel allowances, for their relish for the soothing cushions of power, and for their lavish life style. If we're in for a 30% cut, we'd better let the full amount be BIG. Pay back is the name of the game, and if we lose now, God knows when we may have another chance. Let's make sure this time around we get something.

If, as I fear, none of the candidates can beat Obama, let's make the latter sweat too; let's raise the stakes so high he feels forced to promise us the world and let's be later quick collecting our 30% before he takes it all back. Let the fighters sweat and let us make sure we keep the new president on a very short leash; aren't we, the people, supposed to be the boss after all?