What then? Voters want less partisanship. Less bickering and fighting. More uniting rather than dividing. This is what voters really want. They dare to believe their government can work. That it can accomplish great (or at least good) things. A government . . . “for the people”.

I think the public has expressed some specifics in its desire for change. Most notably, a repudiation of the Bush doctrines of fiscal irresponsibility, intrusive government and especially, of war. There is certainly a desire that our government work on our behalf, for the public good, and a clear sense that “special interests” are calling the shots. As for less partisanship and less bickering, perhaps we want that, but I think the realists among us know that changing the status quo, especially with respect to the power of money over politics, will take a battle, as the rich and powerful are not about to give up without a fight. The belief that this will be “bipartisan” is sheer delusion. Just listen to the “free-market” rhetoric from the GOP candidates, and demonizing any other potential solution than the “invisible hand” of the market as “socialism”.

We have to be prepared for a fight. Those who believe that the market will force, for example, Exxon Mobil to clean up the mess it made in Alaska are simply not paying attention (and haven't been for the last 25 years). Those who believe the insurance companies will ever care more about our health than their profit are probably insane.

Yes! Let's put America first. As I've probably said all too often, my yardstick for government is this:

Managing the public resources for the public good, not for private gain.