Things Don't Change That Much

As I continue reading through the Old Testament of the Bible for the ongoing Tao Bible series, I came across an interesting story in the Book of Joshua in Chapters 6 - 7. This section tells of the Israelites conquest of the town of Jericho. God grants his "chosen people" the ability to massacre their enemies, but they could keep "only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD."

Put in common vernacular, all the wealth seized must be placed in the hands of the priestly class, the affluent sector of their society.

In Chapter 7, we learn that one of the soldiers claimed a bit of the booty for himself. Achan took and hid "a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight." We are told that this upset the Lord and led the Israelite forces to be turned back in a battle.

Of course, Achan is found out and stoned to death. His booty is reclaimed by the wealthy and, with this sin taken care of, the Israelites go out to slay the next town.

This story doesn't sound altogether different from modern times. The rich want to control all wealth and become unglued if they think anyone is holding out on them. In the US, the wealthy elite are buying the current mid-term elections by trying to manipulate the will of the people to elect representatives who will readily transfer more public dollars to the already egregiously affluent.

For me, it just goes to show that the basic issues in life don't change all that much. The rich and powerful want absolute control, whether it be amongst ancient tribal nomads or a rich industrialized nation.

Line By Line - Verse 11, Lines 3-4

Clay is fashioned into vessels;
but it is on their empty hollowness, that their use depends.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Shape clay into a vessel;
It is the space within that makes it useful.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Mix clay to create a container In its emptiness,
there is the function of a container
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

A pot is made out of clay or glass,
but you keep things in the empty space inside.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

These two lines provide one of the classic metaphors of Taoism. As with the first two lines of this verse, Lao Tzu draws our attention to the empty space. As far as a bowl, pot or glass goes, nothing can be added if the container is already filled to the brim.

Of course, this metaphor is really targeted at our hearts and minds. If we are filled up with desires, wants, prejudices, and self-righteousness, then we can't take in new information to form a different perspective or opinion. It is only by emptying ourselves that we can be open to new horizons.

To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.

No Big Surprise Here

If you thought that the behemoths who were saved through bailouts of taxpayer dollars would change the way they conduct business, then you need to step back from the bar and quit drinking too much of the Kool-Aid. It should not come as shock to anyone paying half-attention that business as usual continues unabated.

Following a $57 billion tax-payer bailout in 2009, the American people (and, to a lesser extent, the Canadians) essentially owned General Motors. That includes Republicans and Democrats, as well as independents, Greens, Libertarians and everyone else.

Yet the company’s Political Action Committee wrote a $5,000 check to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in September, a small piece of the $190,000 the firm has showered on federal candidates this year.

As the Washington Post reported this week, McConnell had been a staunch opponent of the auto-makers’ rescue, saying he could not "ask the American taxpayer to subsidize failure." But, the Post added, “GM doesn't seem to hold a grudge.”

According to the report, GM is not alone among firms that received tax-payer assistance, and are now spending huge campaign dollars to elect politicians (in both parties) who won’t vote to for new regulations, or, in the case of financial firms accused of foreclosure fraud, even to hold them accountable for violating the law...

That's right! You and I bailed out these miscreants and, to show their undying gratitude, they are using their renewed economic clout to grease the system so they can screw us again and again into perpetuity.

How can a person not love this system!!

As E. J. Dionne points out on NPR, we love this system because it's American as apple pie.

Imagine an election in a Third World nation where a small number of millionaires and billionaires spent massive sums to push the outcome in their preferred direction. Wouldn't many people here condescendingly tut-tut such a country's "poorly developed" sense of democracy and the inadequacy of its political system?"

That, of course, is what is going on in our country as you read this. If you travel any place where there is a contested race for the House or Senate, you are bombarded with attack ads, almost all against Democrats, paid for by groups that do not have to reveal where their money comes from.

What we do know from enterprising journalism and the limited disclosure the law requires is that much of this money is donated in large sums from a rather small number of wealthy individuals...

While it's certainly true that most of this mammoth money is favoring candidates for the GOP, the toothless Democrats have not done much of anything to try to stop it.

The Tao of Dark Sages - Part II, Introduction, Con't.

The Tao of Dark Sages
by Scott Bradley

Have I digressed? Perhaps. But my point is that though words—mere words—these transcriptions can be a finger pointing toward the moon, and shouldn’t be taken for a description of the moon itself.

But none of this answers the question as to my motivations in seeking out Sue-tzu and Mark-tzu or in transcribing their words. Is it to help you on your way? Why should I care about you or your way? And if I do, why do I? Frankly, I suspect that any ‘benevolence’ in your regard that I might entertain has a more fundamental motivation, namely, the authentification of my own ego-identity through achievement and fame. There, I said it.

Fortunately, I make no claim to enlightenment or spiritual ascendancy so I can to some degree live with the contradictions which arise from my present labors. Most of all, I have had to ask myself why I would gather together other interlopers and intrude on the privacy of two sages seeking to live in solitude. And my answer has been two-fold.

Firstly, I can live with the contradictions inherent in both seeking a teacher and writing, knowing that life is all contradiction and paradox. And, more importantly, the realization that the most valuable teachers one can have are those most reluctant to teach. Tradition has it that Bodhidharma wouldn’t give the time of day to Hui-k’e for years until finally the latter cut off his own arm and presented it to the master as a symbol of his earnestness.

And with that, the reluctant teacher accepted a disciple and the line of Zen patriarchs went on. And so, I made the somewhat difficult pilgrimage to the Kailash Valley as a sign of my own earnestness, however tainted by attachment.

If you're interested in reading more from this series by Scott Bradley, go here.

Tao Bible - Deuteronomy 28:10

And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.
~ King James version ~

A Taoist sage is a nobody. There is no reason for anyone to be afraid of her.
~ possible Taoist alternative ~

Moses say that, if the Israelites obey God's commandments, other people will come to fear them.

The sage is a face in the crowd. The sage does not call attention to herself nor will others be prone to point her out. The sage is not a threat to anyone.

If you're interested in reading more from this experimental series, go to the Tao Bible Index page.

Tao of Weather

For two days straight, the skies have opened up. By midnight, I would guess we will have received more than 5 inches of rain. Yet, during a brief period today, the sun came out. It didn't last long, but it made an appearance, nonetheless.

One of my great joys with living on the southwest Washington coast is that it provides constant reminders about the Taoist emphasis on the cycles of life. While we are beset most of the year with one storm after another, intermingled with these storms are tranquil periods on most days. It offers a seamless cycle between storm, tranquility, storm, tranquility, storm...Each flows into the other.

And that pattern is very representative of our lives, in general. We have highs and lows, good times and bad, productive moments and lazy periods. Sometimes the changes are sudden or abrupt; most of the time, however, the changes are subtle and we don't even recognize them as they occur.

A moment ago it was sunny. Now, it's raining cats and dogs again. :-)

Zhuangzi - Leave Well Enough Alone

The lord of the south sea was Abrupt; the lord of the north sea was Sudden. From time to time Abrupt and Sudden got together in the territory of Primal Unity, and Primal Unity treated them very well.

Abrupt and Sudden planned to repay Primal Unity's kindness.

They said, "People all have seven openings, through which they see, hear, eat, and breathe; Primal Unity alone has none. Let us make openings in Primal Unity."

So every day they gouged out a hole. After seven days, Primal Unity died.
~ from Chapter 7, Thomas Cleary translation ~

When I read this passage, it jumped out to grab me by the throat! It well describes one of my great follies in life -- learning when to leave well enough alone.

I can't begin to tell you how many countless times I have taken a situation or mechanism that is working splendidly and, in trying to fine tune it so that it works better or faster, I have rendered it absolutely useless. If I would simply allow it to move at its own pace or proceed in its typical fashion, everything would be swell. It is because I feel the need to tinker with what's working that I end up screwing up everything.

To offer one example, there have been many times in which a program on my computer is working as intended. I get some hair-brained idea in my head that I want to tweak it slightly to fulfill some desire. So, I add some functionality or attempt to write a script to do whatever and, before I know it, the program no longer works at all!!

This is not my problem alone. Humankind constantly tries to tweak nature to serve our desires. In doing so, we gum up the works...sometimes irretrievably. We change one aspect of one part of an ecosystem without realizing that this one little change will cause a tidal wave of effects throughout the particular system and all those connected to it.

To read more musings about the Zhuangzi, you can visit the index page for this ongoing series.

Line By Line - Verse 11, Lines 1-2

The thirty spokes unite in the one nave;
but it is on the empty space (for the axle), that the use of the wheel depends.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Thirty spokes share the wheel's hub;
It is the center hole that makes it useful.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Thirty spokes join in one hub In its emptiness,
there is the function of a vehicle
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

A wheel has spokes,
but it rotates around a hollow center.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

As I sit here before my computer keyboard, there is space -- a seeming nothingness -- that appears to exist between where my hands sit in my lap poised to type and the keys themselves. Yet, if I think about it, the space makes it possible for me to type these words.

If the space was filled by a solid substance, I would be blocked. I would be unable to raise my hands from my lap. I would be unable to strike any of the keys.

In fact, it is the nothingness of air and space that allows us to breath and move. Taken a step further, it is the void that makes life possible.

To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.

Birthday Thoughts

So, today is my 53rd birthday. I expect it will be just like any other day. Della's at work and won't return home until 7 or 8 pm tonight. Nothing "extra special" is planned. No cake. No special dinner. No receipt of gifts. Just an ordinary day.

When I was a kid, it was different. Birthdays meant a party, cake, special dinner and loads of gifts and cards. I suppose that was okay then, but not now. There truly is no reason for a hullabaloo.

I had no choice in being born and, more than likely, I won't have a choice when and how I die. When you get to be my age, people like to say that a birthday is a celebration that you've made it this far -- like it represents a sense of accomplishment.

But what have I accomplished by living? It's the nature of being to want to continue being. I have simply followed the flow of my life.

I have been fortunate or lucky that a plane never crashed into my house or that cancer cells have never formed in my body. I have yet to be in the absolute wrong place at the wrong time. That day may still come, though. If it does, does that mean I am no longer accomplished?

Personally, I choose to celebrate each and every moment. Every moment of consciousness is a gift. When I'm feeling like unadulterated crap, I sometimes wish there was an easy way to return the gift, but it's a fleeting thought.

Each life is meaningful because it is life itself. There is no reason to look for anything else. One day each life will end and that day will hold meaning too.

The Tao of Dark Sages - Part II, Introduction

The Tao of Dark Sages
by Scott Bradley

Having transcribed and edited previous discussions between Sue-tzu and her friends, I very much wanted to see what kind of progress they had made in their pilgrimages since I last saw them several years ago. I had heard that Sue-tzu and Mark-tzu were together in the Hindu Kush Mountains of northern Pakistan and so decided to go and see if I could find them. It took only a few days of hanging out in Peshawar, the capital and staging area of the Northwest Frontier, to receive intelligence as to their whereabouts.

It seems that though living as best they could in obscurity, they had still been found out by European backpackers on a nostalgic journey along the old hippy trail. Afghanistan being a bit too unstable at the moment, the Kailash Valley of Chitral Province seemed a good alternative. There they heard about these sages and, always ready to find a new guru to adulate, sought them out. Their reports were not glowing, however, since they had been told by Mark-tzu in unambiguous terms to bugger-off. So, here was my prey.

What follows are highly edited transcripts of the discussions which ensued when I, and several other former friends of these sages, found them in their hideaway.

Before I proceed, however, I feel compelled to consider my own motivations in seeking them out and writing this book based on their words. For I, too, am a way-farer, a Tao-farer and I have thus had to take a serious look at my motivations.

It is a well known aphorism that those who know do not speak and those who speak do not know. And, although I can slink past that truth by writing what others have spoken, still, I have to ask myself if I am not indeed negating the very object of inquiry in writing about it at all. There is comfort in realizing that someone, and presumably someone in harmony with the Tao, wrote the aphorism in the first place!

Indeed, it appears in the Tao Te Ching which is the bible, sort of speak, of all wayfarers. It must be then that the meaning is something other than what we might first believe. The true Tao has no name that can be named and must remain unknown, at least to cognitive apperception. Of that which cannot be known we most assuredly cannot speak. What could we say that wasn’t nonsense?

There is, however, a role for the word and that is by way of pointing. Dealing with this paradox, Zen developed methods which are intended “to point toward the moon” without attempting to describe it. Among these are a good slap in the face of the sincere inquirer, a nonsensical answer, or the institutional use of the koan, a more or less nonsensical question.

Regarding the first, future Zen masters have had their satori experience as a result of a slap or the twisting of their nose! And some of these have returned the same when they realized how obvious and of little import the experience actually is! As to a nonsensical reply, perhaps the most famous is: When asked what is the Buddha, a Zen master replied, "Three pounds of flax." And finally, the koans are a series of "problems" which cannot be solved with the cognitive mind. A popular example is: “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”

If you're interested in reading more from this series by Scott Bradley, go here.

Tao Bible - Deuteronomy 28:1

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth
~ King James version ~

Followers of the Way will be low like water.
~ possible Taoist alternative ~

Moses tells the people that, if they do all he has commanded, the Lord will make them the greatest nation on earth.

Taoists endeavor to follow the metaphor of water. Water always seeks the low places and from there nurtures all. Instead of seeking power, fame and greatness, Taoists accept simplicity and humility.

If you're interested in reading more from this experimental series, go to the Tao Bible Index page.

War Is Never Pretty

Ever wonder why Lao Tzu writes so much about war as a failure to follow Tao? The recent release of even more military documents by Wikileaks shows in painstaking terms the unethical and criminal cover-up by US (and British) forces and their governments of the extent of innocent bloodshed throughout the Iraqi conflict.

War is never pretty, but these days, governments go to great lengths to whitewash the innocent blood dripping from our hands. If you're interested in reading a damning report of US (and British conduct), check out "The Shaming of America" at the UK's Independent.

As usual, the Arabs knew. They knew all about the mass torture, the promiscuous shooting of civilians, the outrageous use of air power against family homes, the vicious American and British mercenaries, the cemeteries of the innocent dead. All of Iraq knew. Because they were the victims.

Only we could pretend we did not know. Only we in the West could counter every claim, every allegation against the Americans or British with some worthy general – the ghastly US military spokesman Mark Kimmitt and the awful chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Peter Pace, come to mind – to ring-fence us with lies. Find a man who'd been tortured and you'd be told it was terrorist propaganda; discover a house full of children killed by an American air strike and that, too, would be terrorist propaganda, or "collateral damage", or a simple phrase: "We have nothing on that."

Of course, we all knew they always did have something. And yesterday's ocean of military memos proves it yet again. Al-Jazeera has gone to extraordinary lengths to track down the actual Iraqi families whose men and women are recorded as being wasted at US checkpoints – I've identified one because I reported it in 2004, the bullet-smashed car, the two dead journalists, even the name of the local US captain – and it was The Independent on Sunday that first alerted the world to the hordes of indisciplined gunmen being flown to Baghdad to protect diplomats and generals. These mercenaries, who murdered their way around the cities of Iraq, abused me when I told them I was writing about them way back in 2003...

Question: Shall We Hail the Whores?

One of the interesting things about reading the Bible -- particularly the Old Testament -- is that it's easy to find what I call throwaway lines. These are sentences or passages that don't appear to be imperative to a story and one could easily read over without much thought as to what it may mean or suggest. I found such verse in the 2nd Chapter of Joshua (Verse 1).

And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

If you aren't aware, a harlot is a prostitute. In olden times -- it's often true today as well -- harlots live in a brothel. So, what this passage indicates is that two men are sent by Joshua to spy on the "promised land" and, in an attempt to blend in, they head to the nearest house of ill repute.

What is it that men do at brothels with prostitutes? If I need to answer that question FOR you, then maybe you should get out more often! Since there is no indication whatsoever that, upon their return, the spies were chastised for visiting a cathouse, it stands to reason that God understands that men -- even spies in a foreign land -- have certain "needs" that must be attended to!

Yet, this is the very same divine being who condemns adultery and doesn't look very kindly on "sins of the flesh." Go figure!

Of course, maybe I'm simply splitting [pubic] hairs.

To see what other questions I've asked about the Christian Bible, go here.

Line by Line - Verse 10, Line 17

This is what is called 'The mysterious Quality' (of the Tao).
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

This is the Primal Virtue.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

This is called the Mystic Virtue
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

That's the way you do it.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

Wang Pi, quoted in Lao-tzu's Taoteching: with Selected Commentaries of the Past 2000 Years, has this to say about this line, in particular, and the latter portions of this verse, in general.

If we don't obstruct their source, things come into existence on their own. If we don't suppress their nature, things mature by themselves. Virtue is present, but its owner is unknown. It comes from the mysterious depths. Hence we call it dark.

Derek Lin makes a similar point.

Sages emulate the Mystic Virtue in their interactions with other people. They nurture, encourage, teach, and mentor those around them without the need to possess, gloat, or dominate.

To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.

Over and Over and Over Again

You play in bars and dives in front of unruly audiences. You scratch and claw to try to hold on while you dream of the day when you will make it big. At times, you think of throwing in the towel, but you somehow persevere. Finally, years in the making, you become the proverbial "overnight success." Fans the world over flock to your concerts to hear your signature song.

In time, however, you want to move on to write and play different material. The song that catapulted you (or your group) to fame becomes stale. Yet, wherever you go, your fans want to hear that song and, after awhile, you get to the point that you absolutely detest that which brought you the fame you craved.

These thoughts ran through my head as I watched one of several videos of the song, "Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House. While this particular group had a few other minor hits, everywhere they play people want to hear their signature song.

This is one of those times when it might be beneficial to be autistic! While most people I know have the desire to interpret music slightly differently each time they play it, an autistic person (like me) would enjoy playing it the exact same way each time.

Hmm. Too bad their aren't more autistic bands out there! :-D

Zhuangzi - The Way of Thieves

One of Robber Chih's followers once asked Chih, "Does the thief too have a Way?"

Chih replied, "How could he get anywhere if he didn't have a Way? Making shrewd guesses as to how much booty is stashed away in the room is sageliness; being the first one in is bravery; being the last one out is righteousness; knowing whether the job can be pulled off or not is wisdom; dividing up the loot fairly is benevolence. No one in the world ever succeeded in becoming a great thief if he didn't have all five!"

From this we can see that the good man must acquire the Way of the sage before he can distinguish himself, and Robber Chih must acquire the Way of the sage before he can practice his profession. But good men in the world are few and bad men many, so in fact the sage brings little benefit to the world, but much harm.
~ from Chapter 10, Burton Watson translation ~

Chuang Tzu writes quite a bit about the importance of mastery of skill. The way he sees it is that, if something is worth doing, then its worth doing well! It doesn't matter what skill we might refer to. If you happen to be a janitor, lawyer, painter or thief, you should endeavor to become skilled in your chosen profession or avocation.

However, just because someone is good at their profession or avocation, this does not mean that their skills are used for the good of all concerned!

Just take a look at our own society. We lionize the rich and powerful. We look up to many of them. We often strive to be like them. We look at all they've obtained and, unfortunately, we don't scrutinize how they got to where they are.

In far too many cases, people get to the top by stepping on others. They relentlessly pursue their goals by crushing or sweeping aside anyone or thing that gets in their way. They have honed their skills and they ruthlessly apply them.

In the end, mastery of skill is only one part of the equation. If a person lacks virtue -- driven by unquenchable desire -- then they can't follow in the path of Tao.

To read more musings about the Zhuangzi, you can visit the index page for this ongoing series.

The Tao of Dark Sages - Chapter 8, Epilogue

The Tao of Dark Sages
by Scott Bradley

This gathering of grasshoppers was, indeed, the last of its kind. All the participants went their individual ways and of the several that I have interviewed all believe they were richer for their time together.

Grasshopper went to Banares on the Ganges where he met and discipled under a guru of considerable fame. Believing himself enlightened and anointed, he thereafter went to the United States where he created a foundation and acquired a considerable following. Of his teachings I am not entirely aware, but I understand they are not far removed from those revealed in the discussions above. Were I to reveal his true name (for need I say, Grasshopper is a pseudonym?) you would probably recognize it since he has lectured extensively, written several books and even had locally televised TV programs.

Though the financial cost of his ‘satsangs’ is considered excessive by working class people, many are the persons who claim that he has greatly aided them in their spiritual journeys. His teachings are, moreover, becoming more and more widespread as some of his disciples take special courses which enable them to teach under his imperator. Though some accuse him of ‘franchising’ a spiritual message, it cannot be denied that he has been quite successful or that he is in any way exceptional in merchandising spirituality.

Of Sue-tzu and Mark-tzu little is known for sure. I have good intelligence, however, that they together went West into the Hindu Kush where they now reside in solitude and obscurity. Having chosen the tao of the dark sages, they seem to fulfill so well Thomas Merton’s adaptation of Chuang-tzu:

“Who can free himself from achievement
And from fame, descend and be lost
Amid the masses of men?
He will flow like the Tao, unseen,
He will go about like Life itself
With no name and no home.
Simple is he, without distinction.
To all appearances he is a fool.
His steps leave no trace. He has no power.
He achieves nothing, has no reputation...
Such is the perfect man:
His boat is empty.”

If you're interested in reading more from this series by Scott Bradley, go here.

The Government Will Pay Attention Now

As I'm sure many of you have noticed, the Obama administration has taken a rather hands-off approach to the housing foreclosure mess. Though everyday citizens are losing their homes in droves, Pres. Obama has been content to sit on the sidelines. That may start to change, however, because a new population is being adversely affected and this group carries far more clout.

Investors who have been snapping up foreclosed homes are backing off in the wake of the U.S. foreclosure fiasco, driven by sagging inventory and fears over legal title, and some economists say the trend could hurt the overall housing market.

With foreclosed properties accounting for a large portion of housing sales, and investors accounting for a large portion of buyers — particularly in some key markets with very high foreclosure rates — the implications for the broader economy could be serious...

Yes, now that this scandal is impacting the wealthy, I'm betting the government will, all of a sudden, become concerned and actually do something to restore investor confidence.

Tao Bible - Deuteronomy 23:6

Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.
~ King James version ~

Seeking peace in all things is the way of Tao.
~ possible Taoist alternative ~

Moses tells the people that they should never seek peace with the Ammonites or Moabites.

Regardless of a perceived wrong, we should always pursue peace. Animosity engenders resentment, jealousy and hate. These three emotions can overtake us and compromise our abilities to discern the Way.

If you're interested in reading more from this experimental series, go to the Tao Bible Index page.

Hit Me Again

As I've related to you before, I'm not planning to vote (save for a few ballot measures) in the election in two weeks. After nearly 30 years of upholding my "civic duty", I've decided that the exercise is a futile one. Year after year -- regardless of who I cast my votes for -- my government keeps moving farther and farther away from the ideals I believe in.

Today I read two articles on The Smirking Chimp that talk about the feeling of political impotence, though they draw different conclusions. The first, "Election 2010: Choosing the Abuser", likens the act of voting to a women who is repeatedly beaten by her spouse or partner (the principle involved, not the actual events).

Every day, 10,000 U.S. women are assaulted by their husband or boyfriend. Most often they do not leave, and the violence continues; psychologists call it battered women's syndrome. On Nov. 2, we're likely to see the political counterpart, where American voters -- despite a history of egregious Republican abuse -- decide to give the Grand Old Party one more chance...

Of course, from this writer's perspective, the Democrats don't qualify as abusers. I beg to differ! To me, the big difference between the Democrats and the GOP is that the former beats up the American people while telling them they aren't being beaten up as severely as the kind of punishment the latter would have dished out. It's like saying, "Yes, we gave you a fat lip, a black eye and we broke both your arms, but just be happy that, unlike the Republicans, we didn't break your legs too!"

This writer continues:

Psychologists say the typical battered woman is "depressed and anxious, with low self-esteem, a poorly integrated self-image, and a general inability to cope with life's demands." If that sounds familiar, it's a profile that fits many Americans in these difficult times. TIME political correspondent Joe Klein recently completed a 24-day, coast-to-coast trip across the U.S. What he found was anger and anxiety; a pervasive sense of powerlessness...

Over the past two years, who has held the presidency and control in both houses of Congress? We all know the answer to that question. It's the Democrats, the party that can't seem to pass any sort of progressive legislation EVEN when they firmly hold the reins of power. No wonder their own supporters feel completely power-less.

The other article, "How Voting Perpetuates Evil", states the case more simply.

The only logical conclusion is that lesser-evil voting perpetuates all the cancerous evil plaguing the political system. This should not surprise anyone. Regardless of party affiliation, major party candidates convincingly lie to voters and the tons of money poured into politics create a mass propaganda machine from both parties that deceives voters.

Lesser-evil voting sometimes works in favor of Democrats and sometimes favors Republicans. Negative advertising creates fear of some candidates and media pundits and celebrities use their considerable power to give voters reasons to vote for or against candidates. The thirst for true reforms of government persists, as evidenced by the Tea Party movement and even the election of President Obama. It is the force that moves the pendulum from one party to the other.

When will Americans wake up and realize that lesser evil still means evil? Least bad still means bad. Least corrupt still means corrupt. Least dishonest still means dishonest. Least stupid still means stupid...

I agree wholeheartedly with this assessment! Both parties abuse the vast majority over and over again. By voting for one or the other, we behave like the abused woman (or man) who stays with or returns to their abuser after the usual insincere apology. We set up shop as before and then act shocked when we are soon pummeled again.

In time, we come to think the abuse is our own fault and, in this particular case, we do share a large degree of the culpability. We willingly hand our abuser the sledgehammer we are beaten with. I, for one, have decided I will no longer hand either party that sledgehammer!