This article is in response to a reader who disagreed with me on the point that both the Democrats and Republicans are deeply flawed parties. He then came up with a series of the following points on which the Republicans are “in a class of their own” viz: Corruption, Bigotry, Human Rights Abuses on the Border, The Deconstruction of Education, the EPA, Lying, the Fleecing of America. I personally add the category “Human Rights Abuses”–he never brought that point up but I think it’s clearly an issue. I claim that both parties have corruption and social issues which prevent them from representing the interests of the mass of the electorate in any meaningful way. I’ll attempt to address these issues point-by-point in the order it was given me by the reader. Corruption: The most prominent recent example of late is Russia Gate and Paul Mannefort, Michael Cohen and probably Scott Pruitt too. Before we talk about that let’s get some background on the case starting with Debbie Wasserman Schultz. What the journalist ,and by any objective standard, that is what Julian Assange is, found is that the DNC emails show some shady dealings as far as rigging the primaries—and she quit because of the display of said emails. Then there was HRC’s famous “Public vs. Private position speech to Chase Manhattan bank” etc. –also in the emails. Not good. None of you will remember but we’ve already been through all this before in the 70s with Phillip Agee and his “Covert Action Quarterly Magazine” and the “Covert Identities” law that was created about outing employees and informants of intelligence agencies and the US military—which the emails were definitely not about. It was about the Democratic National Committee- and therefore it’s just journalism. It is not a crime except for the person/personas who did the hack. Yes, I did get hold of a copy of “Covert Action Quarterly” when I was a kid, along with “The Subversive Scholastic” and “Mad Magazine” etc.. I recall reading about details of the Salvadoran “Death Squads” and being a bit shocked that our guys were committing horrible atrocities against non-combatant detainees. Clearly, no intelligent person would be shocked reading about American atrocities in 2019 A.D.. Apparently, we have , a tinge of creepiness , perhaps I’ll call it what it is political corruption in the DNC –was exposed. Remember the Whitewater scandal? That went on for a while for the same political reasons-only prosecuted from the Republican side. Another piece of political theater and definitely some corruption was cited on the Democrat’s side. I’ll say that political corruption, at the federal level is clearly a bipartisan issue. Back to the present scandal. It does appear that one Michael Cohen was talking to the Russians but not up to any direct planning with Assange. The other guys, who knows? They’re mostly being charged with lying to federal officers and perjury which is a catch-all for the feds. I did mention the “Public vs. Private” position speech from HRC that supposedly swung the electorate. Isn’t this part of the bigger issue of corporate political contributions and lobbying that is essentially legalized corruption -by anyone’s standards (whether or not you can prove quid-pro-quo)? Aren’t there many so-called “foundations” which can get around the limits of corporate political contributions and isn’t there one Democrat most famous for the use of said foundations? Bipartisan issue. Bigots. Yes, the right, attracts the bigots, slobs and skinheads. That’s not their stated policy, it’s a function of too many white folks dominating that party. It , in fact, is a polarity that the Republicans -unfortunately- exploit. Everyone knows this by now. I remember that, Bill and Hillary Clinton, both spoke in coded language about people of color coining or copying the term “Super predator” while he engaged in the first round of US mass incarceration. It would seem that bigotry is a bipartisan issue with the Republicans ahead by nose. Human rights abuses—not on the border. Why not around the world ? Why not talk about the military and intelligence agencies? They’re very busy lately ignoring the 4^th amendment with our data and assassinating people abroad–”targeted killing”–some of whom have been US citizens. The FBI, private security contractors and other agencies are also doing a job of provocation and disruption i.e. provoking mostly innocent people into crimes in the Muslim communities-and other communities -as this writer found out the hard way. You can also view the Intercept article on “disruption” operations if you have any further doubts about human rights abuses against dissidents and “undesirables” right her in good’ole the USA. They didn’t stop doing that for the previous liberal-Democrat administration. Bipartisan issue. The Border: There have been border security issues and brutality and INS raids my entire life. I recall Obama was called the “Deporter and Chief” by the media and it didn’t bother me that much because that’s how we’ve always handled the situation-by detaining people then putting them on buses and sending them back across the border…and we’re still doing that. Bipartisan issue. Deconstruction of Education by Republicans. I can’t speak on that issue. I have no opinion on education. I don’t usually report on that subject in this publication. Lying—Have you ever seen Loretta Lynch dissemble in front of Congress? Do you remember living under Bill Clinton when he denied having sex with Monica Lewinsky? Judicious and non-judicious lies are a function of government. Period. Bipartisan. EPA—no argument on that. Democrats win. The Republicans are horses asses on that. I never said I was a Republican by the way. I don’t claim an ideology. $1.5 T tax give away—Ok, I’ll concede that. It might bring the deficit down about .02 %. I am curious about why neither Republicans nor Democrats are a bit concerned with government fiscal malfeasance. 30 Trillion in debt is a bit high don’t you agree? So let’s take stock of our points: 1.) Corruption—Bipartisan issue but I put the Republicans slightly ahead on this due to Micheal Cohen. 2.) Bigots—bipartisan issue except the Republicans have access to more of them. 3.) Human Rights abuses: bipartisan issue 4.) Deconstruction of Education: No opinion. Don’t ask me about this issue. I haven’t a clue. 5.) The EPA: Yeah, Republicans suck on this one. I can understand, though, that if you’re a coal miner by profession then you might have a rosier view of deregulation. 6. ) Lying— bipartisan issue. 7.) Fleecing of America..I answered that. 1.5 T is a drop in the bucket. The Republicans in a class all it’s own? Not exactly, and in fact they just carry on a lot of policies from previous administrations-especially foreign policy-which doesn’t change a whole lot. Problems not addressed by either party. 1.) Fiscal Deficit of 22 T in Government debt, God knows how much consumer and business debt we’re talking about. This is going to ruin us in the end. No country has ever avoided the inevitable collapse that out of control printing, borrowing and spending money leads to. 2.) Effects of Globalism on the average American worker. This is not addressed by either party but was given lip service by the Republicans which is why you have Donald Trump by the way—not the Russians. 3.) Stupid foreign policy driven by foreign interests and monied interests. 4.) An authorization to use military force anywhere and everywhere is still in effect driving us into involvement in multiple wars including , possibly, in Venezuela. 5.) No 4^th amendment !. No habeas corpus either. 6.) No one seems interested that we now have the redacted 28 pages of the 9/11 commission.