A part of me recoils at the thought of adding even a syllable to the
ocean of pontifical sludge emanating from the Republican confab in
Philadelphia, so mind-numbingly inane and diligently dece

Ralph Nader, America's indomitable public citizen, is the one great man
in this presidential election.

It must be some playful new postmodernist form of politics: First you
spend years ranting about the plutocracy that has supplanted American
democracy and is rapidly devouring the planet.

On the eve of the Democratic convention, the challenge to Democrats is
to recognize the limits of the current economic boom and act boldly to
assist those left behind.

The draft Democratic Party platform doesn't speak forcefully to the
concerns of ordinary people.

So ABC is arranging its convention coverage around an exhibition football game. NBC is giving us just the acceptance speeches.

The pernicious influence on politics of corporate money isn't confined to donations to candidates and parties.

Research assistance was provided by the Investigative Fund of the Nation Institute.

So after the excitement fades,
We end up with the norm:
Both candidates are regulars
Who say they're for reform.

On the morning after, people awoke to the drear prospect of "gush and bore" for the next six months, and excitement flew out the window.