Editor, The Herald:

What is the deal these days with the Republican and Democratic Parties? Do they really care what happens to the real people in the country anymore, or have they ever really cared what happens to any of us? It seems to me the only thing they truly care about is who is in power and the American People have become political refugees caught in the middle of a political war. It might as well be called the new American fight for independence or even, I dare say, the new American Civil War. I believe these two parties only care about themselves and the money they can get to keep themselves in office, so I say we put them all out of office.

I believe we need a third party in this country. A party that is for the people and not for special interest groups, lobbyist, and the agenda of the politically elite, and yes I put President Obama in that same grouping. I mean what has he truly done for any of us? The answer is very little and through my eyes, seems like a big disappointment. Where is the hope now? He is enamored with getting the liberal agenda passed that he will do and say anything to stay in office. Yes, Romney is not any better than he, so why do we allow ourselves to be taken hostage by these two extremist groups? They are no longer Republicans and Democrats, only liberals and conservatives. Where is the true majority in this country? I will tell you where, they are somewhere in the middle of this unproductive bickering, and the voice of the people gets drowned out by bureaucratic nonsense that does nothing to benefit anyone except increase the national debt.

Congress blames Obama for his outlandish spending, but I blame them because they could come up with a solution. Will someone, anyone, propose a bill that will lower the national debt. What was wrong with Ross Perot's debt tax? Nothing! Let's pay down the debt and take some of the old taxes off the books, like for instance the fact that we still pay on the Spanish American War. Please do something and not just stick with the status quo.

I don't agree with the stance Obama takes on those with money, or those entrepreneurs that have done well for themselves. They made their businesses stand on its feet with their own skills and abilities. They didn't misuse others to get where they are today. These men and women were equipped with the knowledge to succeed through trial and/or failure, heartache, and determination. They gained the knowledge and ability from others, by going to school or from years of hard work, even from competitors' failures and their own failures. Those people don't owe me anything and I have a sense of pride that those people have succeeded to bring me the best product possible in order to make my needs met.

My mother and uncle have always said, “… we never thought our parents would ever pay off their house because Daddy would always use their home to stimulate and his brother's business when it faced hard times.” However, he and his brother were one of the success stories, but why should they share what they earned with anyone other than their God, their families, and other business like restaurants or a grocery store in their area? Just by supporting other local businesses they have helped those business owners make it by sharing the wealth, so I am a lost on Obama's meaning. My grandfather and his brother made each person that bought from them smile and made their lives easier just by selling their products and just by doing that it was a win-win, for everyone. No one feels taken advantage of. It just seems like a selfish notion that the Democratic Party is pushing.

I do not agree with Romney on the planned parenthood concept. I think it important for women to receive tests that will let them know if they are in danger or at risk of cancer. I also believe that the only solution to the abortion question is it must be legal in cases of incest, rape, and if the mother's life is in danger. A very dear member of my family was raped and murdered by a serial rapist and I think to myself what if she had lived? What if she had gotten pregnant by that horrible man? I put myself in her shoes and say how could I live knowing that this child was spawned by such evil and how could I be honest to a child that was created out of such hate? The simple answer is you cannot be allowed to put yourself through that torment and it would be wrong to bring a child into existence knowing all of that. It was not God's Will that you get pregnant in such a violent manner. Also, how could you make any woman relive that experience any more than she should? Just being raped is traumatic in itself and now you are asking the mother to go through even more pain for at least nine months by reliving her attack every day and being reminded of it with this child forming within her. Well you super conservatives need to get your head out of the dirt because you are wrong.

Also, why are the Republicans putting up road blocks just to see the Democrats and Obama fail? You people need you to help us make a better life for ourselves. I've heard that the Democrats are a party that thinks for its people and they really don't want the masses to improve or move forward, but from where I set they both are guilty of that.

George Washington said the party system was a bad idea and now we live his fear every day. He knew that loyalties would only be for the party and not for the people. My grandfather always said, “… who would be in charge if we did not have a party system. . . “and I told him the people would be in charge and then and only then would you have a true republic. We need a republic that votes based on the people's needs and not the candidate or the representative running on their own agenda or their party's agenda.

Once a man I work with said, “…we elected them to make the best decisions on our behalf.” I say that is true but I want them to keep their finger on the pulse of the people they represent and not on what they think we need. That, too, is another of Obama' s failings. He thinks he knows better than the people that elected him on what is best for America. I think you still have to hear people out, and maybe the White House should bring back the weekly meetings with its people like in the early days of this once grand republic. Let it be on Wednesday and you could meet so many people each day and really listen to their needs. All I am asking is our politicians just listen to the American People and do what we say.

If we are to continue down this path we need another choice, a third party choice, and I am not talking about the Tea Party. They are extremist and not based in grassroots politics. I am talking about a party of regular people and not the elite we keep electing to office. People not born out of money or who have fallen into money, and Obama is one of them too, but rather people like you and me for a change. People that know what it is like to struggle and live from pay check to pay check. People that know what hard work means and is, and not those that say we need to take if from those that have it because they used us to get it. To me that does not make any sense and it is selfish to say. I am talking about your neighbors, your local grocer, your teacher, people that live in our shoes and not in the shoes of Obama or Romney. America please let the people have their voice and their say. Please stop all this liberal, conservative bull. Where are the real candidates with the real issues? We cannot keep going on like this, where we attack each other. We need to come together as Americans to solve the economic crisis we are in and we need to be less envious of those around us. I have never wanted anything that someone else already has. I just want to live my life and be happy for myself and please my God in doing so. However, that is something we could all work at improving. Thank you for your time.

George Lee Dowdy, III

Cumberland