Comrades, I have no good news for you today.

Our losses are mounting as I write, with no immediate end in sight. With a further 61,000 plus Comrades sidelined, or put out to pasture this past month, there is little light to be seen on the horizon. There has been a shift in which areas suffered the most, but that would be comfort to few.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090409/national/jobs

Yesterday I was bothered by the increasing focus of many who have the ability to speak out, choosing to use their voices for partisan sniping and focusing on issues that do nothing to bring forward constructive dialogue on matters relevant to these times.

Here in our little corner of Internet world, we have explored things such as the root causes of the failures of our economic system and likely have gotten as close as we could to determining who is in fact responsible. We now have some sense of these things, and are better prepared in our own personal circumstances and to speak to, and with others on these matters in order to share understanding.

For us, we can relate to summations of realities such as Comrade Herb's reference to Presidential Power and Hard Power. It certainly seems that Hard Power has triumphed in circumventing Presidential or Prime Ministerial power in many crucial areas, and these are the concerns best addressed openly by those who have the means.

Turning to the world of Canadian politics momentarily, I see the pundits discussing the seeming stagnant positions of the top two parties, and note that many seem somewhat surprised, perhaps even a little bewildered. Maybe this is because their noses are too close to the book of strategy to notice that to the rest of those who bother to pay attention, the two groups have become divided only by issues of lesser importance. I wonder if they consider that the reasons may well be that both entities appear pretty much the same, and employ the same strategies. Serve up hash, deliver some bash and chase after the money.

Which leads me to two of the most extraordinary statements from our political leaders this past week. One from Flaherty and the other from Iggnatieff.

Flaherty made reference to the fact that people are not facing challenges equal to those faced by our early pioneers. Ya think Jim? How long did it take him to come up with that assessment and how much did it cost?

Iggnatieff gave a statement voicing his admiration for Brian Mulroney. Imagine. Way to set yourself apart from the crowd Micheal.

Fella's, most know how interconnected we are with the US, and appreciate the significance, but it doesn't have to start and stop there does it? You guys need to put some fire in people's bellies, and swooning and crooning just doesn't cut it.

Have a chat with that Danny Williams guy why don't you? He has a knack for standing up at the right time and being heard on things that are really important to people. Danny's not afraid of the Big Bad Oil Companies, and he knows how to play a hand. Get out there and tell people you will help them to start small businesses. One person operations on up. Get your printing press behind the small entrepeneurs and don't worry about getting your take for CRA so much. It will all work out in the end.

In this wasteland of political moeofthesames, I tend to lean Green. Not so much as a party supporter, because they are in their infancy and I believe they need more input from older heads. But more because of their support for environmental concerns, alternative energy and that they understand that small is beautiful. One day those youngsters who make up the bulk of Greenies will grow up, and will draw together the foundations of all those good ideas they have, apply their learned experiences and the knowledge of politics they have gained along the way. Together with a new breed of Independents borne from the spirit of quiet political revolution, they will eat those two old dinosaurs alive.