The old dog has outlived its usefulness. Granted, we have loved it dearly for its caring companionship and its contribution to the safety which we have found so precious. It still has the endearing tail wag when we approach and always seems glad to act in an ingratiating manner, but the teeth have grown smooth and the body is reluctant to move. When threatened, it can only growl and bare its now-useless teeth, trying to convince us that it is still "on the job" and performing its usual duties. But, however, much we love it, we most let it go; we must put it out of its misery for its own good, and ours. We are as helpless with it as we would be without it and it is time to find a new dog that can still hunt. Yes, friends, it is time to give up and end the life of the Democratic Party.

For too many years, the official party line has been one of compromise and conciliation, of "playing nice" no matter how rough the game may get. When faced with campaign after campaign of Republican dirty tricks, they have deigned to fight back in a similar matter with the truth as a powerful weapon and expose the opposition as the phonies they actually are or to oppose the infractions against the very laws in the formation of which they have paricipated. They stand silently while the Constitution is blatantly reduced to a "useless piece of paper" and the principles stated in the Declaration of Independence merely an antiquated political statement. One by one, the amendments to the Constitution which guarantee the civil rights of each and every American citizen have been negated in the name of "National Security".

Since the dastardly destruction of the World Trade Center, our "Democratic" representatives have bought into every lie that has been offered by the adminstration. They blandly accept the claim that "the world changed on September 11, 2001". But those whose vision is still twenty-twenty can see that the "world" is still the same. It is the United States that has changed, and they are complicit in that change. The one-time bastion of peace and freedom, the example to all the world of what a nation should be has fallen into disrepute with a greater rapidity than the dive in President Bush's poll ratings. They believed the President's rantings that "they hate us and want to kill us, so we have to kill them first", and they allowed the unnecessary invasion of a helpless Iraq at the cost of the abandonment of the search for Osama Bin Laden and now they cannot even bare their ineffective teeth in an effort to correct the dire situation which that caused and to require withdrawal of our troops.

After the towers fell, we watched, aghast, as blanket authority was given to the adminstrative branch to make all decisions, the oppressive Patriot Act was passed by a Congress, most of whom had not even read it. And then, rather than to admit that they had made a mistake, they renewed it on request! Now and then, there have been "objections" and a show of a bit of independence, but it always disappears when it is time to count the votes. They sit by and do nothing as the laws that they pass are nullified by the President on signing by "administrative exceptions"; they see pay-offs and corruption and make little or no investigation into whether or how they can bring this arrogant administration back under Constitutional control. They are afraid to attempt any constructive measures because they have lost confidence in right and truth as the strongest weapons of democracy, recognizing only things they can count, majority and the ballot box, things that they cannot win unless they demonstrate a passion for protecting them.

Every time they attempted to stand up to protect the people, Mr. Bush would scream "Nine-eleven", and they would scurry under the porch and then return to their docile submission, allowing the illegal orders to stand and the rights of the citizens to be even further compromised. Now, Nancy Pelosi has announced that there will be no movement toward impeachment if they win the majority in Congress this year! The only possible advancement in the fortunes of this old and decrepit party is furnished by the penicillin of progressive branches within the party who are working on the state and local levels, but the infections in the head of the aging body are fighting back against this needed medication and the prognosis is not good. The Progressives are finding new and aggressive candidates to run for office, but their choices are too often rejected by party-liners who are chosen by the party leaders for their "years of loyalty and hard work". Thus, there will be no permission for the necessary application of "new blood" to create the energy that will allow the body to recover.

But time is short! The wolves are circling at the door and even our telephones are useless to make calls for help and a young, aggressive watchdog who will fight tooth-and-nail to save the inhabitants of this nation from destruction is essetnial to our survival. The endangered people of this nation/family must make a decision and make it soon. The "old dog" must be put down so that a new one can take over and perform the duties of protecting us from the corporate wolves. Let us hope that we can quickly find one with real teeth and the willingness, wit, and strength to use them effectively on our behalf. The decision can no longer be delayed and the first step must be taken.

It's time to euthanize the Democratic Party