I've been a lifelong conservative and Republican, but I'm just about to vote for the Democrats (or someone else) this election.

I'm still employed, just changed jobs. However, I've noticed that things have changed dramatically since about the mid-1990s.

You're right, Ray, the blue collar bunch got gored, with flat or declining nominal wages since the late 1970's. So for close to 25 years, they haven't been able to "get a raise" at the same job.

I fear the same will be true with "professional" jobs, without a change in administration, and the "bringing down" of some large corporations and leaders (Enron and MCI/WC just being the beginning).

The bottom line, the so-called "leadership" doesn't want to invest in America anymore. The wages are lower, the opportunities to exploit workers are simply greater somewhere else.

I'm sorry, but this is pure and simple greed, and my take on it is that we need to vote the bastards (probably BOTH Democrats and Republicans) out, and now.

We need to force divestiture of huge multi-national companies like IBM, MCI, AT&T (again), SBC into smaller companies.

The greed and avarice of the wealthiest and most powerful people in America is destroying our country.

Tax the rich, send Martha to jail! Hold the people at the top accountable. If they can't manage their own affairs honestly, then maybe they're trying to do too much (and need to let someone else get a chance). If the rich want to exploit someone else, then they need to sell their assets here, to someone who will invest in the country.

The poverty of the Great Depression taught us all compassion and how to care for each other and work together. World War II brought us together in a common purpose to fight an enemy. The post war boom brought us all riches and prosperity in the 50's, 60's, and 70's.

Then we got to the greed decade of the 80's, as we watched lots of blue collar workers laid off. IT got a reprieve in the 1990's, as Y2K and the Internet allowed us to prosper.

Then, we got to 2001.