I think everybody is missing the boat here. The Democrats TALK about being the party of the working class and they used to be. That was a long time ago and people have not adjusted their beliefs accordingly.

The Democrats were the party that supported unions. Unions are a dying concept and the Democrats haven't been any help to them in years anyway.

The Democrats supported 'the little guy'. In 1960, ninety per cent of all American Catholics were Democrats, today it is less than fifty per cent. The 'little guy' is irrelevant today. The issue of abortion is presented in black and white when most Americans would like legal restrictions on abortion without making it illegal in every case.

Democrats supported the 'working class'. The economic proposals that the Democrats present today seem aimed at people they perceive as 'victims'. This is where all this elitist stuff is so tricky. Are women really victims of their own bodies because they can get pregnant? Are all people of color unable to help themselves because they are victims of a predominantly white society? Are all soldiers really victims of a misguided foreign policy?

I think 'working class' people believe in their ability to take care of themselves and their families and think that other people should be personally accountable for their own lives. They don't want hand-outs and they don't want condescension. They want a fair shake and while I don't see that coming from the Republican party, I think most working class people think that at least the Republicans won't raise taxes to keep swelling the social engineering programs that have been ineffective to harmful to everyone.

Well, right now the Republican party is the war party. That's the stark reality going into this election, as far as I'm concerned. And that's all I need to know to vote against them.

Me too, debee. Especially with my 20 yr old son.

"They want a fair shake and while I don't see that coming from the Republican party, I think most working class people think that at least the Republicans won't raise taxes to keep swelling the social engineering programs that have been ineffective to harmful to everyone."

The Repub party will have to raise taxes to support its war of choice, and then ask that you send your kid to possibly get shot up in the desert in the middle of a civil war. Even better, you have no right to universal health care in the US, but every Iraqi is now eligible and deserving and YOU have to pay for it.

That's the Repub party, support Iraqis, screw you.

Janna: Is your 20 year old son in the military? If not, I'm not certain why he'd be a factor in your political decision. The military has been an all-volunteer force for more than 30 years.

"Janna: Is your 20 year old son in the military? If not, I'm not certain why he'd be a factor in your political decision. The military has been an all-volunteer force for more than 30 years." I know many people with sons this age (old enough to enlist) or younger who are concerned, with good reason. I think it's a long shot, but the draft can be reinstated. Besides, McCain has made his point that we could be in Iraq for a hundred years. That's a lot of future sons that they'll need to serve. Take a look at the new military recruiting ads. Every parent has a right to be concerned and it does make sense that it would factor in political decisions.

You probably won't trust me when I tell you that I work in a military public affairs office, but I'm going to give you the fact of the matter, all the same. A draft isn't going to happen unless the Pentagon wants one, and even with the recruiting troubles they're having, the Pentagon doesn't want draftees. When you talk to people who were around the military during the last draft, they essentially said drafts give you a whole lot of troops who not only don't want to be there, but who aren't qualified to serve. The old draftee military was of lower quality than todays all-volunteer force, in other words. No one wants to go back to that, not even high level military planners.

Because, trapdoor, it is her son that is going to have to pay for that war, since the Repubs don't want to pay for it now. Of course, he won't have to pay for the actual costs of the war, just for the interest on the $3 trillion borrowed by the party that abhors taxes. Taxes is another word for responsibility for paying for what you want. Let's see: a $3 trillion war on top of a $3 trillion national debt that is actually on the books. Yeah, let's vote for those guys again!