Government of the people

We live in a democracy: by, of and for the people. Our leaders believe that our government is designed to fill the greed of large corporate interests, rather than the needs of the citizenry.

They tell us that there is no inflation, despite gas prices at twice what they were a year ago, health care soaring, food going up. They tell us the economy is booming, despite flat exports and a 6 percent increase in imports last month. Jobs are going overseas, instead of products. The economy is good for the very rich. The rest of us are seeing flat or decreasing income and increasing costs.

Who is benefiting from this? Large corporations and the very wealthy. We are funding a war that is increasing terrorism to benefit oil companies. We have "lost" $9 billion in Iraq. The war, they promised, would be paid for by oil revenues. Instead, it is breaking our budget, and compromising our future.

We must elect representatives who will represent us. We must pay attention to what they are doing and kick them out if they aren't meeting our needs. In 2006, let's elect Democrats, then hold them to their promises.

Ann Warwick

Sandpoint, ID

The Spokesman-Review