A new CSP/Zogby poll shows 98 percent of the respondents saying "I want my elected officials to work toward the good of the nation, rather than the good of their party."

That would seem to indicate that almost all Americans understand that there IS a difference between "good of the nation" and what is good for the political parties. Certainly, both of the two major parties would disagree, proclaiming that their organizations are only interested in the "good of the nation". In fact, they extend the "good for me, good for all" idea to everyone to whom they make an appeal. They seek support from groups of voters by granting that what is good for that group is good for all of us, often turning about and making the same appeal to another group whose goals are in opposition to the first. We can, if we choose to follow closely, watch D & R candidates make contrary promises to groups whose interests are in conflict. The message is, one realizes over time, that if your group supports us, we'll promote your special interests too.

It has become so ingrained in our politics... that if you want an advantage... almost any kind of advantage... you can get it by organizing, lobbying, spending enough money, and promising political support or threatening opposition. Thousands of special-interest groups thrive on that plan, and some have gotten extraordinarily good at it. One of the current examples involves the anti-smoking groups, funded by money coerced, with the help of government, from tobacco companies and their customers, and now pushing for smoking bans. Smokers and those businesses that want to offer their customers a choice have to fight against their OWN tax money. We have the spectacle of volunteers fighting with their own money and spare time against groups with well salaried, full-time, well-funded groups spending the money of the very people they're trying to force into submission. Such a spectacle can only exist with the intrusion of government and special-interest politics.

So, those who seek a political advantage go to the parties in power, who welcome it and thrive on it; they put their money where it will give them some benefit... at the expense of the rest of us. Major party politicians try to keep their rhetoric fuzzy enough so that even opposing special interests can believe that their interests are being served. That can be done by double-talking, but often involves getting chunks of tax money to both sides. Money granted to a special interest group allows them to continue to lobby, allows them to issue great propaganda to the media, and gives them the means to sucker individuals into donating to their cause. Truth is, the balancing act by politicians... feeding opposing views... gives all the special interests the "hook" to use with the public, that, with even more help from you, we can "win" these special privileges.

Special-interest politics is a lucrative game played by all participants, both politicians and the groups pushing their own interests. Victory is not the goal, but a sort of sick "balance" that benefits everyone directly involved, while cheating all the rest of the American public. It's designed to be a never-ending game, because if one interest clearly prevails, the losing interest may no longer be a player. Their support and their money will be lost. The game can continue only by keeping opposing sides believing that with a little more effort and support, they can make gains.

So, the Democratic and Republican parties are supported by hundreds of special-interest groups, each of which receives special privilege at the expense of all other citizens. The result is a nation that is shattered into a thousand nebulous groups, each feeling as if their interests depend on privileges "given" by politicians, and believing that if they don't continue the fight, other special-interest groups will succeed in place of them.

The manner in which the two major parties promote and manipulate special-interest groups is very much like the way the military services create obedient recruits: They take away all your rights, then give them back to you, one at a time, as privileges.

Tomorrow: Which party represents your interests as an individual?