How does backing your party no matter what, and name calling actually help your country??

People that back "their party" no matter what or just placing their party before the country. Sensible, intelligent voters will review the facts and candidates and support the best qualified. Anyone able to pick up a pencil can vote 'straight ticket'.

You are absolutely correct. Backing a party, rather than choosing based on positions is, indeed, a "do what you want card." Clearly, the "do what you want card" has been firmly played for a while now. Name calling serves two purposes: people can voice their frustration... but mostly the name calling is used to distract us from the fact that the political system has run amok.

The time to select your idiot is in the primary. This election is to choose the makeup of Congress and the Senate. You have to vote the party that represents 50% or more of your values.

Look at what your personal situation is, and vote for your own benefit. Is your life better today than it was this time last year?Ignore the media and the crap they spew.

Remember the government has no money. All money represented by government checks was earned by someone elses labor and forcibly taken. (Similar to armed robbery)

It doesn`t help. We as citizens of the United States should be able to seperate ourselves from this so that we can elect the right official for the job. If a person is running for a political office, and is of the same party affiliation as you, and you do not share his ideals and philosophies for the party that your are affiliated with, this does not mean that you should have to vote for him if you disagree with the ideals and philosophies that he will be bringing with him that will be effecting you, and the citizens he will be representing. It is important to read as much as you can so that you will be able to make an informative decision when you vote.

If apathy keeps dominating politics thats exactly what we are giving politicians-a "do whatever you want card". If normal people don't participate because they don't like politics then it is open to being hijacked by people with something to gain.

Remember the lessons of the two big wars.

Lessons like: Us regular folks can run things better for US, than those at the top.

We insist on relearning lessons of democracy through non-participation .

No. The parties become focused on staying/getting in power and not national good. Actually political parties are one of the things president Washington warned against in his farewell address.

It does not help anything other than keeping the voters minds off the truth of politics which is that it is rife with fraud, graft, mercenary tactics and liars.

Strict party ideologues are useless, and allow for corrupt politicians

I don't think either party is helping our country.

It doesn't help the country. History proves this.