In case you haven't noticed, individuality and the freedom to be yourself are confusing concepts these days.

On the one hand, the excess of individuality is decried as evil, with Wall Street protesters attacking corporate profiteering as greedy insensitivity to others' struggles that keeps them from diverting those profits to some nebulous greater good.

On the other, big government and big business tag team us to take ever-more of our money, privacy and freedoms while forcing us into neat little packages that better fit their needs to control our behavior and get us to go along with their vision of how we should be.

Yet despite it all, a growing movement is taking shape that encourages us to "find ourselves," to live in joy and passion even when it doesn't bring the same idea of prosperity we once knew (or tried to), and to work to build a better world even when the one around us is swirling, seemingly ready to be flushed down the drain.

What's a Self to do?

Liberty may be the buzz word for a lot of people, but it seems to me that self-determination is really what is behind their concern – the ability to choose our own path through life and travel it without interference by others.

Control is the means by which that ability is denied or altered. Begging the question of when control crosses the line into oppression, a bigger one keeps rolling around in my head.

And that is, what can we do to stop the controllers, or at least be beyond their influence?

Mainstream politics is slipping deeper into polarity wars for control over us and the direction of our nation's future. Each side professes to fight for their respective core principles when in reality they fight for power and influence, and the perpetuation of their seat at the table where they get it.

It is their addiction to power that allows them to be manipulated by those who want it wielded in their favor.

This is a time of great tumult in our political affairs. Not only do Democrats and Republicans spare no effort to weaken each other's bid for power, but others have gotten into the act as well.

The Tea Party gives voice to a long-festering dissatisfaction among the people with their government. They speak (often loudly) against the rapidly-growing deficits that are exploding our national debt, and the disconnect between our leaders (and the government they head) and the people they serve.

Politics is a dirty business. The interests of the people routinely take a back seat to party and personal concerns, not to mention the demands of those who pull their strings.

Those involved will never admit it, though. They always profess to serve the highest good.

In practice, though, it rarely works that way.

"Democrats couldn't get laid in a house whose sole purpose is consequence and disease-free sex with legislators on finance committees." - Jon Stewart

With her boyish good looks, J-Lo-esque back story (being born in Brooklyn, not having a ginourmous ass), and squeaky clean voting record, Sonia Sotomayor...

Shaun Casey shares some funny thoughts on the latest story from Washington. Regardless of your political persuasion, it's a good read.

Shaun Casey: Forgetting Sonia Sotomayor

The people have known something was wrong in Washington for a long time. Their longing for change has even brought a superficial shift in the political climate.

Two candidates were nominated based on the promise of change -- McCain to stop earmarks and corruption, and Obama to change from the policies of Bush -- without addressing the underlying lack of control by the American electorate, nor what can be done to reform the system that has allowed things to spiral to such depths.

The following is an excerpt from a recent Huffington Post article.

Just in case anyone reading this is planning not to vote on Nov. 4, I'd like to have a little chat with you. And for those who are voting, please keep reading. Let's have a talk about the bigger picture reason why your vote matters more than you realize.