THE CAMPAIGN ISSUE NOBODY'S MENTIONED.

Today, a new independent report commissioned by Congress is in the news. According to the study, the U.S. military is unprepared for a catastrophic attack on the U.S. This is mainly about what's left of our National Guard since Iraq. But, for me, it's just the latest certification that the vital and important traditional functions of our government have been allowed to deteriorate to a dangerous extent over the past eight years. Maybe longer; maybe there's blame to be shared by the previous administration.

But, it seems to me that the Republican administration of George W. Bush has taken an exceptional ultraconservative glee in throwing sand in the gears of our government structure and vital organs wherever it could. Aside from the military damage they've done, misusing the forces we had, any regulatory or functioning government program or agency you can name has been either allowed to under-perform or actively sabotaged by this administration.

So, I say, fine, let's have the big Iraq debate, though that issue is settled in most minds. Sure, go ahead and prognosticate on fixing health care. Wrestle with immigration; that's a fine time-waster a few of us can get riled up about. But I'll vote for the party and the candidate that understands what awful shape our government is in and rolls out a credible plan for fixing it. Tell me who you'll appoint to head Defense, State, Justice, FDA, EPA, CIA, and the rest of the bollixed up, demoralized, but vital bureaucracies. Give me your legislative and administrative plan for undoing the damage of the past eight years. Don't just badmouth our big government. Make it work for us. Democrat, Republican, or independent. If you get this, you've got my vote.