As I've been researching candidates, and reading the papers about state and national Congressional actions, I have come to realize (or maybe I always realized it) that this system just does not work anymore.

There are too many people pulling in too many different ways. Even when you "agree" with a candidate on some issues, there are others where you're sure they're just "wrong". ("Wrong" being defined as contrary to what you believe to be "right".) The closest candidate I've found to my own beliefs looks to be Mike Gravel. Is he still running? He stands not a chance in Hades of being elected, let alone getting a serious listen-to.

Even when they (meaning a legislature) try to do something "right", it gets bogged down with "wrong." Everyone has a different idea of what works, and the least offensive, which is often the lowest level of effectiveness also, usually ends up getting passed.

Here in Illinois, we're dealing with a governor who seems to have no clue. This, on top of a president who has a clue, but sees things so differently than I do that I can not support him or anyone who promises more of the same. And a Congress whose members are mostly concerned with getting reelected and don't really care about what happens to "the rest of the country", just so their constituency gets theirs, whatever "theirs" might be.

The solution: A benign dictatorship?