There is an ancient saying, “The people are a many-headed beast,” and it must be appropriate when we consider that approximately 90% of propositions on ballots get approved by a mere 4 to 6% of the total number of registered voters.

The Republicans and Democrats together initiated the U.S. wars in the Middle East (Iraq, Afghanistan) under the double Bush administrations and now Obama, instead of cutting our costs over there, is continuing an ever-lasting Afghan assault.

In some ways, it is reminiscent of German and Italian forces during WWII plunging blindly headfirst into Russia, into Siberia and freezing their Nazi logos and collective butts due to the harsh sub-zero rugged terrain, just wasting lives and money in a no-win situation. In many ways, we’re doing the same thing in the Middle East.

Look at the sheer waste of taxpayer dollars versus the enormous profits being made by U.S. approved contractor services. Where is the trickle-down to us domestic citizens?

AND THEN… the government promises jobs, but does NOT keep that promise and then based on some obscure and absurd statistics, disallows a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for all those on Social Security, Disability and Veterans benefits.

What does our government do to help the unemployed?  It’s increasing the unemployment tax for businesses and plans to stop extensions for those running out of benefits again, sometimes for the 5th or 6th time. What happens to the masses of unemployed NOT getting their benefits?

Objectively, what is going to happen to the middle class in the U.S.? The middle class once held the largest number of American citizens. Today, it is nearing extinction.

Furthermore, job outsourcing is killing average Americans, along with lax immigration laws that continue to permit employers to hire legal and illegal immigrants at a fraction of the cost of hiring American citizens.

Obama wants Americans to cross-train into other fields. He wants single moms to return to school. He wants returning veterans to go to college. We should be asking Obama, “Why?” because what good is doing that if there are no jobs with or without a degree?  

In short, plain and simple: we are a mess as a nation.

We remain at the mercy of greedy, powerful and disrespectful leaders in government and commerce. The groups in Washington, DC form a Legislative Mob. They are viciously pillaging American citizens and are destroying our once-great nation.

We are out of control. We are becoming more like the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Historically, such cities and civilizations crumbled and decayed. They vanished from the face of the earth.

It is questionable whether we can return to some semblance of stability and normality. Look at our TV programs and even how we drive. Look at our impatience, hostility and disregard for one another.

Look at all the political and corporate games that enable governors like Sarah Palin and Rick Perry, or Senators like John Kerry and Nancy Pelosi to gain such power and control over our lives. These people have myopic vision and it trickles down to middle class voters – at least, the ones who vote.

I’m sorry to rant here, but where the heck did our nation go? Where is our self-respect and respect for all of our American virtues and priorities? Where is the respect we used to show for one another? Reality shows are causing us to lose sight of our reality!

I wish we could get rid of the Two-party system. It is killing the U.S. and is driving the middle class over a cliff to its extinction, much the way cavemen used to hunt Wooly Mammoths, which also became extinct.

In closing, I believe that the state GOP organizations AND the National GOP need to rethink more intelligently a new platform and direction, to climb out from the self-made muck that is consuming and defeating the Party’s success and survival. I think the Democrats at the state and national levels should do the same.

We are scraping out the barrel for candidates who never should be considered for the offices they run for. We need to find higher quality candidates, people with brains and who care about American communities.

I also believe that the two-party system is failing most Americans and our economic well-being. The middle class is vanishing into the significantly wealthy and the extremely poor.

I further believe we need to get rid of all parties and simply vote for the BEST person for each position.

We need to limit significantly or eliminate excessive campaign contributions so that wealthy lobbyists, corporations and/or individuals can NOT purchase the best government money can buy.

Then, we need term limitations. Any elected official gets 2 terms max! After 2 terms THEY ARE GONE! Like crop rotation. Call it my LIP – Legislator Incentive Plan!

Think about it. All these suggestions will ensure that we can maintain a continuous flow of fresh, honest and ambitious slew of elected officials who will NOT be bought and who will perform their duties in the best interests of the community they serve within a 2-term limit!

Foremost, Americans need jobs!

If we continue to do little or nothing, the middle class will remain a doomed species, with its extinction in the near future.

Peter Stern, a former director of information services, university professor and public school administrator, is a disabled Vietnam veteran who lives in Driftwood, Texas.