This February the Democratic Party showed true colors when it asked Paul Hackett of Ohio -- an Iraqi war veteran -- to withdraw his candidacy for the U.S. Senate. The Democrats want to go with a ‘Professional Politician' -- Sherrod Brown, and Brown is definitely a Professional Politician. According to his biography, he did serve as an Eagle Scout while growing up, but that was the closest he came to wearing a uniform. Hackett is not a ‘Professional Politician.' He is a veteran who volunteered to go to Iraq -- into harms way -- because of his love of America. Hackett had been endorsed by newspapers in Ohio, had a coffer filling with voter dollars, supporters growing daily, and polls showing him overtaking the incumbent. But, he wasn't a member of the clique. So, when Brown changed his mind and decided he'd run, the Democratic Party wasted little time in casting Hackett aside. After all, how could a military veteran compete when a Professional Politician was available?

When our country was founded and the Constitution approved, our founding fathers never intended for ‘Professional Politicians' to be a career choice or a congressional perk.

A lot of veterans lean toward the Republican Party. However, the actions of this administration are opening veteran eyes. Hardly a month goes by without this administration trying to take something away from the veterans.

February has seen Secretary Rumsfeld, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Army Chief of Staff moaning the cost of health care for veterans and urging Congress to increase access fees to cover the cost. Medical costs for veterans have gone from around $19 billion in 2001 to around $37 billion today, they said. There's this little thing called The War that America's best and finest are fighting that contributes to this increase in veteran medical costs. There are more veterans needing medical care because of increased survival rates of the wounded. Most wounded will live with handicaps throughout their lives and most will lack the resources to pay for private medical care.

Throughout America's history the three-sided pyramid of power distributed by the Constitution has been pushed and pulled by two-party politics. Periodically a third party arises, usually centered on a strong individual with a populist following. Teddy Roosevelt's Bull Moose Party, founded for the elections of 1912, is a good example of a third political party with national influence. A more recent example is the Reform Party formed in 1995 by Texas billionaire and Naval Academy graduate Ross Perot. His success in raising the profile of issues favored by the American people influenced the politics of the two major parties. The Reform Party is still around, languishing in the shadows, waiting for someone or something to reinvigorate it.

This election cycle will see ‘Professional Politicians' hugging those such as Paul Hackett with one arm while twisting the knife of politics into their backs with the other. They will cry about lack of quality medical care for our veterans while the other hand rips their wallets out through their hearts. And, they'll show up at the doors of military organizations extolling how much they love and what they've done for ‘their' veterans. Great photo-op for ‘Professional Politicians.'

Most veterans are moderates with varying degrees of political beliefs that complement differing platforms of both parties. Neither party is the party of moderates today. They are political parties run by ‘Professional Politicians.'

What this country needs is a strong third political party. Maybe call it the Moderate Party. A Moderate Party that subscribes to the Constitution. A third party that forces ‘Professional Politicians' of the two major parties to shift their colors nearer the center. It would provide a moderate alternative as the Democratic and Republican ‘Professional Politicians' decide what is best for their parties over what is best for this nation.

One thing is clear: Neither party is the party of the veteran.

With the approaching elections veterans will receive increased attention from Professional Politicians. Then, expediency will shove us back into the closet until we're needed for the next election.

America needs a national party of prominence that subscribes to moderation in our political aims and views. There are some third parties out there. The strongest of which is the Green Party, but the Green Party has a reputation of being further left than the Democratic Party. Its platform is more about social engineering than building a viable business-environmental party capable of capturing the American ideal of country, family, and jobs. America needs a clean environment, but the Green Party platform alienates the majority of Americans.

If we had a Moderate Party, I would submit the following platforms as the starting basis:

•  We believe in the Constitution of the United States of America

•  Honorable discharged Veterans deserve quality medical care, survivor benefits, and recognition.

•  Retirement pay should be free of federal income tax.

•  Critical low-pay professions such as Police, Firemen, and Teachers should have federal tax benefits.

•  We believe in a vigorous business environment complemented with a clean environment. We support work for Americans and a clean environment for our children.

If we don't produce a viable third party of national prominence wrapped around a moderate platform, then eventually we will be a nation of one political party where interpretation of the Constitution and the future of out country will be decided by one party, and where one party holds the executive and legislative branches.

Whoa! Sounds familiar already.