to what a candidate says, but examine what he or she does. If the candidate has a history of agreeable votes he or she has earned your vote. If the candidate has no history one must fall back on party affiliation. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and zebras can’t change their stripes.

The real strength of America does not lie with the parties, President, the Congress or any of the multitude of disingenuous, political hacks we send to Washington or our state houses. The economy and defense of the United States always lies in the hands of the American people. We are a hardy bunch and in our two hundred twenty-plus years have seen war, famine, disease and depression. The American citizen has turned this country into what it is today and regardless of who we elect, the beauty of the American System is that we get to correct those mistakes in the next election. John Adams once said, "Americans always get the government they deserve."

To learn more about the upcoming elections, visit the Military.com 2006 Election Center.