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When I was a little boy, I remember asking my parents what the difference between a Republican and a Democrat was. “Republicans tend to be for the rich and the Democrats tend to be for the poor,” was the response I got. Well, this was a no-brainer, I thought. The Democrats are better.

For most of my adult life, I have been a registered Republican. But now I am starting to think that my mother’s very simple assessment of Republicans and Democrats was not far off. I am not an ideologue and cannot agree with every item on either party’s agenda.

I will always believe that Democrats are weak on crime and defense. But I cannot align myself with a party that allows itself to be governed by one element that is far right, religious, and homophobic – I speak, of course, about the GOP. I refer to myself as a Giuliani Republican – tough on crime, fiscally responsible, moderate on social issues, and against discrimination towards anyone. Of course, a lot of Republicans do not like Rudy because he is for gun control, gay rights, and is pro-choice – one of those yucky East Coast Republicans.

I have been out of work since February of this year. A few months ago, I had to give up my beautiful Upper East Side apartment, which was devastating. Recently, this Republican “friend” of mine (i.e. a drunk I know from the bar) really upset me. He knows my situation and said, “If you can’t afford to live in Manhattan, too bad!” This was not directly aimed at me, but in addition to that gem he said he was against the unemployment extensions, even though he knows that this is the sole source of income for many people like me who have been unable to find another job. This guy is a lawyer who always tries downplaying his wealth. After listening to his rant, I really understood why people hate the GOP.

No one should know what it is like to lose your home. When this happens, loyalty to a political party means nothing. It’s one thing to be for less government and personal accountability, but where is the compassion? I am a strong believer in capitalism.

While I firmly believe the government has no business dictating how much anyone should make, shouldn’t the haves be a little more feeling for the have-nots? And I do not mean the phony Bill Clinton, pursed lip “I feel your pain” BS. I mean real concern for those going through hard times. I used to be quite callous in my attitude towards the homeless, but it took me losing my job and my home to realize they are no less human than any of us and deserve our attention.

We should be building statues to honor Barry Goldwater, who knew what being conservative was all about. He was economically sound, yet he could not stand the emergence of the religious right in the Republican Party. He believed it was not up to a bunch of old guys in robes to decide whether some pregnant teenaged girl should have an abortion. He did not believe it was anybody’s business what two or three or four consenting adults, regardless of their gender, do in private. When he ran for President in 1964, Goldwater said a very prescient thing. “Years from now, they’ll call me a liberal,” he said. Just the opposite – he was a true conservative, someone these religious nuts on the right should study.

But it seems there is no room at the inn for anyone who strays off course from the GOP’s far right agenda – I am an atheist, I am pro-choice, I could care less who wants to marry who, and I think the NRA is a bunch of gun nuts – hey, guess I should be a Democrat, right?

I do not have health insurance, but I know socialized medicine is not the answer. So what is? I have yet to hear either party present one. The bottom line is that both parties are lousy. Neither has presented a clear plan to fix this nation’s problems. What we lack is leadership. A modern revolution may indeed be starting in this country, but it may take years to fully materialize. We are seeing it with the Tea Party movement. If more independent candidates run for office and win, that will be another sign. The two-party system has let us down for too long in this country.

Obama and congress are clueless, yet there seems to be no one emerging to present a strong challenge to him in 2012. The Democrats need to stop obsessing about Rush Limbaugh and Fox News. The Republicans need to get their act together and abandon the mentality that moderates do not have a place in the GOP. And if they think Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich are going to be their saviors, they deserve to lose.

Mike Huckabee, an outwardly likeable guy, seems the best bet for the GOP in 2012, yet he is another Bible thumper, having said things as recently as 2007 about gays and AIDS that were downright disgusting.

These are precarious times for the United States. I do not care about liberal vs. conservative or Republican vs. Democrat. We need solutions, not talk. And right now, no one on either side is offering any real solutions.

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