I'm a creature of analogy, and I see one existing between the distribution of the electorate and the armament philosophies of the U.S., and the Soviet Union, during the cold war. Allow me to elaborate. From its' earliest moments of implementation, the cast of characters in the theater of democracy were smaller groups of the more wealthy and larger groups of the less wealthy. During the cold war, the procurement policy of the U.S. military was to have a small inventory of tomorrows technology while the Soviets had a large inventory of yesterdays technology. In both cases you have a quantitative imbalance. Rich landowners were vastly out numbered, in this one man, one vote environment. So, right from the very beginning, we can see the desperate need for a strategy of the "fewer" to influence the voting habits of the "greater". The seeds of the eventual destruction of the democratic process, were thus planted at its' conception. From that day forth, the "few" would offset the differential by manipulating the "greater", to vote against their own best interests, and to align themselves with the self aggrandizing interests of the "few". At no time in the recent history of democracy is this more evident than now. The "few" are now completely in power. Centuries of honing their skills; brainwashing the electorate, disguising intent, has come to fruition. Downwardly mobile Americans, watching their incomes and their loved ones, disappearing over seas, wave the flag most vociferously in support of the most obscene war profiteering, and transfer of wealth in the history of civilization. I come from humble, blue collar, working class roots. I'm indebted to them for allowing me to have some breathing room in which to become enlightened. Unfortunately, the chasm that has grown between us is now insurmountable. They accept the lies and distortions of reality, coming from the Administration, at face value. They are oblivious to the preponderance of unrestrained corporate power. They are comfortable with the dominion of Christian fundamentalism. I understand that their happiness and content emanates from a belief that might makes right. "That movie that grossed the most at the box office, must be the best, since all those people went to see it, right?" "Sure, Uncle Bill, I'm sure it was the best movie ever made"