Protesting with parades and rallies is great fun and follows a tradition going back to the Boston Tea Party, which helped start the American Revolution. I'm a long-time protester, beginning as in college as an organizer for one of the anti-Vietnam war "moratorium" parades in the early '70s and going on through an anti-Iraq occupation parade in San Francisco last January and local demonstration in April. The circus-like atmosphere is a morale booster and reading all the signs, looking at the caricatures of our stuffed-shirt leaders, chanting slogans, etc. is a kick!

However, I harbor no illusions about their effectiveness. For one thing, the mainstream media has, over the years, decreased coverage to almost nothing. Apparently 10,000 or more people taking time away from their business and recreation to try redirecting serious public policy issues by organizing to rally together is not as newsworthy as planting trees in a park or an increased litter problem downtown.

If you really want to influence public policy 1) write a letter to your legislator, 2) write a letter to your local newspaper, and 3) circulate a petition on an issue of interest. If you've done all of these things and still haven't got any favorable response, go ahead with carrying a sign in a parade, but don't expect any miracles.

Some of the letter writers here fall into the "you're paranoid, it just ain't going to happen" category and others into the "hey, it's inevitable and for the common good" category. I disagree with both of these extremes and think that Jerome Corsi, for all the damage he did helping get G. W. Bush back in the White House, is correct here. Anyone who can't see a pattern in the programs backed by Bush and the Neocons just isn't paying attention. The aggression in Iraq, the infringement of constitutional rights, the push to legalized massive immigration, the secrecy in government operations, all these are more point to a concerted program (conspiracy?) for the concentration of political power and economic control within the hands of a relatively small group of very wealthy people.

These New Imperialists (can I here coin the term "Neoimps"?)are more interested in monopolizing resources and attaining political dominance through "client" (read "puppet") regimes rather than outright claiming real estate, the modus operandi of the old-style imperialism. Certainly, the blurring of borders expedites their dominance, especially when weakening American values of personal and political independence and liberty are concerned. The North American Security and Prosperity Partnership and NAFTA are vehicles for the ascendency of the Neoimps, good for this globalist elite and bad for most Americans.

The defeat of the late, unlamented Bush immigration bill shows that an angry and aroused electorate can put roadblocks in the path of the Neoimp juggernaut. We need to select our leaders for their awareness of and opposition to the Neoimp program. Voting out those who have supported the Bush immigration plan and supported the WTO and NAFTA are good places to start.

And now bears a bit "W" on his forehead. You can expect to get about the same amount of "straight talk" from Senator McCain as you can out of Bush or Cheney. He's totally in their thrall and could not even break free enough to oppose Bush's disastrously flawed immigration bill, but became its sponsor instead. His campaign is a total waste of time, money, and energy. The only supporters he might draw are the 20% or so of voters who still think Bush is doing a good job.

To go with my peach?

To go with my peach?

Hooray for Joe Conason! It's up to the Press, the Congress, and the American People to not let Mr. Bush slink away from this one. Full disclosure is in order. Mr. Bush was appointed to an office of great responsibility and honor and must now account to the public for the manner in which he and his appointees have conducted themselves in the execution of policy and justice. A serious felony was committed within the very walls of his residence by persons he knew and trusted, an act with consequences far beyond the dalliances of his predecessor. The public was treated to an exquisitely detailed account of Mr. Clinton's sexual adventures. If we had the right to learn about these private recreations, we have a duty to acquaint ourselves with the treasonous criminal activity going on in and adjacent to the Oval Office.

By advising Sara Taylor and Harriet Miers to absent themselves from the Congressional hearings for which they received subpoenas, Mr. Bush has committed the crime of incitement to commit the crime of contempt of Congress.

Those of you who are drawing up Articles of Impeachment please take note and include this on your already long and ever-growing list of High Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Has anyone else noticed the symmetry of the Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns thus far? Witness Democrats Edwards, Clinton, and Obama and Republicans Giuliani, Romney, and McCain. Personally, I don't think it's coincidence. Conspiracy theorist that I am, I suspect that somewhere behind the curtain, a group (let's just call them the "transnational corporate globalist elite" for short) has decided that McCain has become too closely aligned with the failed policies and leadership of Mr. Bush and can no longer be supported as a viable candidate now that former Senator Fred Thompson is poised in the wings. Thompson represents the Bush agenda with less of a history of being a Bush apologist.

So, we get will get to keep our three "front runners", all, with the possible exception of Edwards, having the stamp of approval of the TCGE and willing to serve its agenda.