Both parties leave taxpayers frustrated

In the 18th century Alexis de Tocqueville observed: "The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money."

This is what the American people are feeling today. Politicians from both parties get elected and immediately forget about the reason the people put them there and start trying to find way to buy constituents' votes with their own tax money. They both do it. This is why people are leaving both parties.

The populous feels betrayed at almost all levels of government but especially at the federal level. The American people are descent, moral, understanding people. But we're not stupid.

People are tired of telling their representatives in Congress how they feel on issues and then being slapped in the face when the representative votes whichever way the party directs.

My fellow Palatinian Franklin T. Adams-Waters (March 28 Fencepost) argues that moderates have left both parties leaving only the extremists behind. My experience has shown that the people leaving the parties are the ones who are frustrated with the behavior of politicians: the corruption; the unresponsiveness; and their failure to "protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

The ones left behind are the ones with an agenda. Unfortunately, the agendas have nothing to do with the Constitution or the American way of life.

Members of the tea party movement have not "dropped out."

Every one of them is more politically active and connected than ever before in their lives. This is what scares the politicians. If everyone in the country actually read and understood the Constitution and demanded proper representation from their representatives, the politicians in Washington would all be sliding out of town next November.

Jim Hader

Palatine