Actually, the government hasn't served the people for a long time. But now, with a stroke of a pen, George W. Bush wiped out the last vestiges of the US Constitution, nullifying our democratic republic, and has all but declared himself dictator. So what are we going to do about it?

Are we going to sit back and hope that the US Supreme Court will declare the Military Commissions Act of 2006 unconstitutional? A hard thing to do in the absence of a constitution, i.e., if someone can even bring the case to the court, given that Bush declared "enemy combatants" have no rights.

Are we going to cross our fingers and hope that the military will effect a bloodless coup by marching into the Oval Office, the Executive Office Building, the Pentagon, the State Department and the Department of Justice and removing Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice and Gonzales? Doubtful, since today's so-called patriots, unlike those who risked all in 1776 to declare our independence from Britain, are not apt to risk their careers, much less their lives.

The Declaration of Independence states that "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed [that's us, folks], --

"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

From top to bottom, this government has become destructive not only to us, but the world.

The Declaration goes on, "Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. --"

Have we not arrived at "absolute Despotism" with the Bush administration? Have we not a worthless Congress that has abdicated its constitutional duty to be a check on the executive and reduced itself to nothing more than two worthless houses, which are nothing more than expensive show, by handing over its power to Despot Bush?

How much more abuse will we take; how many have to disappear into Despot Bush's gulags, how many more of our soldiers will we allow to be turned into war criminal torturers and murderers before we find our spines and say, "Enough!"

Kid yourselves not that you can rid us and the world of these monsters at the ballot box. First, with the easily rigged voting machines, even if the Democrats take back both houses of Congress, you will never know if it was with your vote or the actions of the people behind the curtain who, for whatever reason, want change. Second, even if the Democrats weren't Republicans Lite, they would need a veto-proof two-thirds majority in both houses to undue all the hideous legislation the despotic Bush administration demanded and got. Third, as long as Despot Bush has the military in his pocket, how likely are the Democrats to undertake impeachment proceedings against Bush and his whole administration?

And don't count on the Republicans being defeated on Nov. 7, with your vote or the fixing of the vote. Despot Bush's Rasputin, Karl Rove, may pull an October Surprise. Another 9-11, anyone?

Finally, if Despot Bush & Co. are allowed to remain in office, what makes you think they will leave on Jan. 20, 2009?