My husband, in his sixth decade, has never purchased even ONE item from Wal-mart. I was with my (then future) husband when he was stopped, by the police, for having long hair when we cruised along a very high-income street just to look at the houses and dream.

We were in a 1956 Chevy panel truck, rebuilt in the engine, hand painted a sky blue, and decorated with our plywood benches (for our dogs' comfort) in the back. The Fox Point, Wisconsin, police officer who stopped us admitted he pulled us over because my husband "had long hair" and was driving "an unconventional vehicle for the neighborhood."

Now we understand the "unconventional vehicle" comment. We will never understand the "long hair" reason to pull and consider arresting a driver.

At that time, my husband was about five years separated from the Vietnam War, in which he earned two purple hearts for being wounded, and, at 18 years of age, had to pilot a helicopter to safety. When he came back from the war, he wasn't just labeled a "baby Killer", he was labeled an idiot, and a potential "Vietname Vet Crazy", and all of a number of horrible labels. When soldiers who enlisted in the "American cause" after 9/11 2001 came back, they were labeled heroes. When my husband came back, he was labeled a loser, even though the American presidents at the time each encouraged young men to enlist to "save" the American way.

PLEASE: if you haven't had people try to kill you with live bullets or rockets in a war, don't try to explain how the Vietnam war was different from the current Iraq war. Understand this: young men and women are sent to war to try to face death every day in the name of your country. That is war: it doesn't change for the combatants.

This is what you did after 9/11: You continued to buy at Wal-mart for what was probably a total 10 bucks discount on your bill. You bought giant screen TVs, you kept driving like there was tomorrow, you agreed to buy food and products from China even though they became increasingly dangerous just so you could save money to buy the SUV, and the big screen TV, and some trendy label blue jeans. Your kids think a person should be evaluated by the label on his clothes not what he/she does.

You think the U.S. president, not the U.S. Congress, should be the imperial ruler. You think the presidential election is most important. You think it's the tests, not the children, who are at the problem with low test scores in the U.S. You think if you vote, you've done your job.

Rethink your job as a person who believes in democracy. When a candidate for ANY public office has $1,000, $5,000, $25,000 fundraisers, ask why you are not allowed to participate. Ask for a lottery in which two people can attend. (Yes, I know this is the imperial times in the U.S. Yes, I know money is every thing and all candidates want ONLY people who can pay, pay, pay.)

Don't worry about who wins the presidential election. They've been bought and paid for and that is why you need to change your focus to Congressional candidates. What new initiative, what new idea, has Congress ever accomplished? Congress exists to elect Congress.

When my husband, wounded, came back from Vietnam, he kept hearing "Buy American" from a lot of old folks. He understood it, perhaps because when he was 18 years old, he had to keep killing people to survive. If you think killing people to survive is wrong, then why do you support candidates who host $25,000 a plate dinners? The candidates are just trying to suave their egos to get elected. Why is it necessary to pay money to have access to a candidate while young soldiers have to put up their lives? Just have a lottery, let's say $10 bucks to the Red Cross, to meet the candidate. Are you nuts to believe candidates who charge $1 to $25 K to "visit" and ask questions is a democracy? (Take another Toke on that Bong, babeee.....)

The first clue to voting is to stop pretending you live in a democracy. The second clue is to do something about it.