Why should we expect our elected officials in Washington D.C. to ever accomplish anything? If you thought that gridlock was bad in L.A. on the freeways, then take a look at Congress! Now, that is really a mess. It's so tied up in knots that nobody will ever repair it. The partisan fighting is so intense that the waring parties often refuse to even meet in the same room! So, why should we the voters and taxpayers expect any results from these "representatives" and senators? We elected them and pay their way, but we do not reap the rewards. It's the ultimate stand off. The Republicans and the Democrats. Each side refusing to bend. Each side refusing to see or hear the others point of view. How did it get this bad?

There are times in our lives when we get so mad and so frustrated that we could just scream. A person can be pushed only so far before he/she breaks. All you can think of is beating up your foe. That's the situation in politics these days. It has gotten personal. Attacks from both sides are vicious and meant to do great harm to the enemy. Anyone who's involved in this mess who denies this is lying through their political teeth.

Take for an example the up coming election for our new leader over the next four years. The political barbs are being flung back and forth in a contest that can only be described as mean and down and dirty. One of these two political enemies we be our next president. Because of the above-referenced gridlock in Wa s h i n g t o n , DC, what difference does it really make which one wins? Neither the liberal nor the conservative will get anything accomplished. So, what's the big deal? Can either one of them lead the congress out of partisan politics long enough to get our country's work done? I think not. It will be the same old same old thing in D.C.

When psychologist Eric Berne wrote his book "Games People Play" he talked about how we all play games with one another and don't even realize it. He describes that we play many, many types of games. There are "life games," "marital games," "sexual games," etc. All of these games are nasty and hurtful to the parties playing them. He states that if we really want to end the misery we have created then we must drop out and refuse to play. It takes two to play and we can simply refuse. In this manner we will leave the mess behind and finally get something constructive done in our lives.

My question is, can anyone in politics these days do this? Do they understand or even care? I doubt it. However, if we the people who have elected them and pay their way refuse to play their games then we end the games. We drop out. We move on with our lives. That will leave our elected officials looking very silly and immature. Isn't that exactly how they appear to the rest of the world?

THOMAS WAYNE KING

Pownal