I am so happy that the votes are going to (re)counted by hand. I have read so much about the unreliability of paperless voting. Isn't it remarkable that 80% of the votes were on machines made by Diebold (one of the companies involved in the never resolved controversy about the 2004 elections)? This time, the votes can be counted again. If there were irregularities, we can find out in time to protect the vote in the presidential election. Let's not fail to keep with this story. It is important to clear up the doubt about other elections.

I am a mom. Three times in fact. I wrote a book about it too. I suspect with a little different attitude about motherhood. My book comes out in May, around Mothers' Day. You can learn about it at my website http://www.somebodysalwayshungry.com. People tell me it's pretty funny and very touching. To me, it's just about my life with my muses...insane, life changing, and, yeah, pretty funny.

I feel that these candidates, after they are the clear choice, are visited by some secretive representatives of the power elite who tell them the way it is and cause them to "drift to the center" and let go of everything they ever believed. How else could presidential candidate after candidate turn into milk-toast?

I believed so much in this dream of decency that Obama put forth. Now I have no one to support because I know that he is going to go the way of all leaders: into the bosom of special interests and out of our hearts. This makes me sad.

This FISA thing was an important test for Obama but so have been any number of policy statements and actions he has made since his battle with Ms. Clinton lurched to a halt. He has failed all of them. The man is serving some other master now. And all I know it is not us, the ones who want the war and fear to stop and the freedom and decency to begin.

I am Jewish and ashamed of the way anti-Semitism is brought out to silence discussion. I think that Joe Lieberman and the ADL are evil. No kidding. AIPAC does not represent me. The fact is that right thinking citizens of Israel are as opposed to many of Israel's policies as I am. Why is it that so many of the voices for peace in the Middle East get silenced as anti-Semites when they challenge Israel's position? Hating Jews is not the same thing as disagreeing with Israel policy and actions.

I am an American who wants my country to live up to the standards I was taught in my High School Civics classes. I want us to be a decent people. It is distressing that even Barack Obama seems to be being silenced by these rabid wielders of the "anti-Semite" accusation. Or maybe he was there all along, and I only imagined that he espoused reaching for the dream of America (not the nightmare).

If you read history, almost every dream of a better world has been silenced by name calling as a first tactic. My grandparents were called "dirty Jews" in Russia and "dirty commies" when they moved here. They were Jews but never communists. It didn't matter because they were persecuted never the less. They might as well have been commies.

Here is the text of an email I just sent to Mr. Obama:

Mr. Obama,

You have lost my vote due to your reversal on FISA. You were the person who was going to filibuster if necessary to prevent passage of this bill. The "compromise" was not a compromise but, rather, a capitulation. The telecoms are off the hook for breaking the law. Bush is off the hook for breaking the law. Even Hilary, who I opposed, stood up like a ... person of conviction. Read the headlines on this one: the Bush/Cheney forces have beaten the Democrats who were elected to end the lies and deception. Democrats are not the answer. They lay down, as well, when the special interests come calling. You have become one of "them", Mr. Obama, with your flip-flop on FISA. I guess I shouldn't blame you; it's me who placed my faith in you before I knew you.

This comes to you sincerely,

That Nadar quote still is the truth. I keep hoping to be proven wrong. I had hope that change was coming when the Democrats gained control in 2006. I can now see that they serve the same master as Mr. Bush and it is not we the people.

Don't you see, Joan, Obama won't get any more specific. I noticed during the convention that he and all the others were only stating the issues in the broadest possible terms -- and repeating them over and over again -- apparently so as to appeal to the broadest spectrum of voters. They will not get specific. Obama has moved to the center and the issues that were igniting his excited followers (anti-war, anti-special interest, pro-choice, holding law-breakers responsible -- whether it be telecoms or the President)...these issues he can't touch for fear of losing voters. The Obama that energized us will not resurface. McCain will continue to steal his thunder and Obama will not dare to make new rumblings. McCain has stolen "change" from him already. The Republicans are very good at this -- I think I read that Nixon was able to steal the word "revolution" from the Viet Nam war protesters -- but the Democrats have never, ever, been able to overcome these tactics. All we have to do is look at the complete capitulation of the 2006 Congress to Bush's agenda to know that Swift-boating Republicans will win one way or another.