Our democracy has changed with us. I believe our national democratic community in particular is no longer representative. People elected to office have jobs that they want to retain so they, with our compliance, have converted our electoral system into a retail business. Money is spent to attract voter interest. Political speeches and debates are now ads that promote rather than educate. Our tripartite system has become a retail store: Congressional representatives stock the shelves, the executive branch are the sales staff, and the Supreme Court justices are the cashiers. You and I shop to satisfy our needs and desires. Unfortunately this is not a beautiful, natural world. Religions kill people intentionally. Schools train rather than educate. Democratic institutions enact and enforce laws that are too complicated and inhumane. Our society isn't working very well anymore. Have we lost hope? Don't we understand?

Don Vanvalkenburgh

Lummi Island