"I'll vote for you, but not enthusiastically. In the meantime, I have limited dollars to spend on politics. I pick and choose where I donate carefully. And you just crossed yourself off my list."

Your letter is well written and more than anything I could write. I sent the Senator a note referring to and endorsing your thoughts.

I don't think most of us who've been aroused into politics by Republican dishonesty the past 3-4 years realize the implication of that 72-25 vote on Alito today and what it really means.

If you're stranded in a strange place and have lost your sense of political identity and citizen power, the Democratic Party with it's currently elected national representation is not the answer to your problems. Nor is most of the leadership structure.

The implication also is that we have seen today the ultimate disappointing revelation of the mirage constructed by the Demcratic Party, DLC and most Demo insiders  who are considered trustworthy, loyal and able to function at the center of Non-Republican political opposition.

The mirage dissipated quickly today and just as the Republicans have demonstrated openly that they are not going to come to the aid of those victims of Katrina, it was openly revealed to us today that we are abandoned and stranded by our own party - that we've been let down by those folks we elected and  upon whom we've placed our highest hopes and given our deepest trust.

They haven't got what it takes and I'm embarrassed for those 19 who have pretended to be leaders and fighters for their constituents but who in the end, could not see nor sense an opportunity to shore up and strengthen support even as it literally danced in their faces.

Taking a strong stand contrary to Alito would not have cost one Democrat any significant loss of votes anywhere in this country. We remain mystified by this surprising and astonishing lack of backbone, courage and plain old fortitude on the part of those 19 Democrats who voted with the Repuglicans.

There is not rationale any of these can offer that could generate agreement that what they willfully refused to do today was truly a choice in the best interest of the American people.

The agony of today's moment is that it's way too late to find or found another party with backbone.  

These 19 collaborators today have thrown the current two-party system into perilous disarray and forced all of those who disagree with and oppose Republican policies into a tragic loss of time for alternative solutions.

We are too close to November to build a legitimate 3rd party.

We are now forced to vote unenthusiastically for candidates unworthy of our loyalty in order to try to avoid the election of Republicans unworthy of our respect.

We are now forced to look out on a horizon 3 years away under an ignorant and untrammeled president and party during which time we are forced to build from the ground up a new party with backbone, courage and long-term stamina.

All because 19 Democrats failed to see their entire consituency hoping and praying that they would finally act with courage.

Who will run for president in 2008?

A Supreme Christian Republican Evangelical American Moralist

A Subservient and Indecisive Democratic Panderer

and perhaps a real candidate of courage and honesty dedicated to the proposition that government is of the people, by the people and for the people ... if we can find one.

I know where I won't be looking.