RCT

It means that I can make choices as to my ideas, attitudes, beliefs and values without fearing government retaliation or repression. Moreover, within certain limits, it means that I may act on such ideas and beliefs without government constraint. I can start a business, teach a class, write a book, move to another City, go to school -- or build an islamic community center. Free to me means free to think, grow, experience and express.

Too much private money means corporate control of our political system. Corporations do not merely advertise or support political candidates; they research, run focus groups, pay organizers and otherwise try to influence an all-too-gullible public. No one is a wholly rational actor; people will always act on feeling, intuition and, unfortunately, out of prejudice. Politics is broken because the business community works to activate what's worst in people -- their inability to think, and tendency to act emotionally -- rather than what's best. The same people who brought you Marlboros and Cheetos, are feeding the so-called Tea Party.

Move to Sweden. Seriously, I'm beginning to think that the situation is hopeless; I've had it. My husband's business, and my job, were adversely affected by the recession. Hope was reborn when Obama was elected. We are very pleased with his legislative record; we wanted more but, considering what he was up against, we think he did well. Now, the lunkheads who blow with the wind and Cheetos are going to elect a Republican House. We're terrified, because we well know what the Republicans will do when they get power back; namely, try to undo all that has been achieved in the past two years. This morning, on our way to work, my husband remarked to me (we were listening to Morning Edition), "If we were French, we could retire." (We turned sixty earlier this year; but we exercise and eat healthy, so don't feel sorry for us.) I replied, "Do you think that we could glue on mustaches and wear berets, and sneak into France."

I meant that. If I could claim EU membership, I'd sell the house, take my 21 year-old son, and be out of here in a nanosecond. McConnell, Boehner, and the Tea Party are, for me, the final straw.

A chance for those of us who are not NYT correspondents, politicians or media celebrities to publish op-eds.

Conversations as per the Huffington Post.

Organizing tasks so that we can at least TRY to knock back the Repubs in November.