Hi, Terry
Sorry to be so slow but I was out all day and had to do my chores when I got back.
re: "... it's just downright frustrating the power the media has on elections."
I've pondered that matter for a long time. I dislike the deceit and manipulation that are inherent in the media. The WMD phenomenon was predominantly a media event ... fed by those who sought our involvement in the middle east. I protested it at the time, but people were so swayed that they didn't want to hear ... or, rather, didn't want to think.
The thing we need to understand, though, is that this seems to be a natural human response. We want to believe and the media give us little, bite-sized chunks we can swallow. That makes us easy to manipulate.
That was one of the things that led me to the Active Democracy concept. I sought a method less influenced by the media. The media will, obviously, continue to influence all of us, but those moving up through the Active Democracy method will be more influenced by the people they are grouped with. It's much better than subjecting the public to a flood of hyperbole and misinformation ... that intensifies in the days leading up to elections ... and expecting them to make a "rational" decision.
I can't comment on the "candidates" who are being paraded for us. I know our system will put one of them in office, but there's no way I can get the information I need (not what they want to force-feed me) to make in intelligent decision.
I have gotten a little feedback on the stuff I've written and what little there is has been positive. This morning a professor of Political Science complimented me on the thoughtfulness of the Comments on Poltical Parties and Active Democracy and suggested I try to get them published in our newspaper. I plan to ask the paper how I can do that (it exceeds the length of OpEd articles they accept).
It's getting late and I'm weary. I want to poke around iHub for a few minutes than then I'm going to turn in.
Fred
Market Data 
Markets 
AI
