Can we all finally agree that both major political parties are irrelevant and are in fact two branches of the same ruling party? Both have exponentially grown an inefficient and corrupt government via unsustainable increases in spending, including both social and corporate welfare, debt, and taxation. In retrospect, the differences in how each party governs couldn't fill a coffee can.

Which means Americans can thank the mainstream media for perpetuating the myths that there are meaningful differences between Democrats and Republicans when there are virtually none; that a political challenge between the two is the only thing at stake; and that by supporting and voting one party over the other on election day, Americans are participating to create some desired change for the better.

It is an illusion. Americans have allowed themselves to be utterly manipulated by the media, which answers to the politicians, the largest infrastructure (food, energy, communications, medical, finance, and insurance) monopolies' executives/owners, and the party leadership, all of whom control most of the purse, and the laws that protect that purse.

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell told Iowa Democratic Party faithful Saturday night that he'd rather lose fighting for something he believes in than win standing for nothing - but he doesn't believe Governor Chet Culver will lose to former Governor Terry Branstad on November 2.

"For a moment, don't worry about the other guy," Rendell said. "An incumbent deserves to be re-elected if he's done a good job. Chet Culver has done a very good job."

Rendell also said Culver and other Democrats should stand up and talk about their accomplishments more clearly with voters, but also be honest about the tough times many Iowans and Americans are facing.

"We've got to continue reminding voters, 'Hey, you may be disappointed in the way things are going in the country; you may be disappointed in the president.' In Pennsylvania, they may be disappointed in some of the things I've done. But it's not a referendum; it's a choice," Rendell said.

All three members of the state's Revenue Estimating Conference said they are "cautiously optimistic" about the economy as they voted to increase the estimate of Iowa's state revenues this fiscal year by nearly $300 million since their last estimate in March.

The new projection for Fiscal Year 2011 is $5.76 billion, a 2.2-percent increase over last year. The panel also made its first revenue estimate for fiscal year 2012 of $5.95 billion, which would be a 3.3-percent increase over the projection for the current year.

What do Scott County, Iowa, and Chicago have in common?

Not much, except that a company from Chicago is about to get a $160,000 contract paid for by Iowa taxpayer dollars.

For what, you ask? An energy audit on the county's eight facilities - including the brand new, state-of-the-art Scott County courthouse and jail.

Why does a two-year-old multi-million-dollar facility need an energy audit?

I doubt it does. However, the county had secured some grant money (a.k.a. Iowa taxpayer dollars), and when they found out the audit was going to cost less than expected on the two buildings that were originally slated for, they decided to spend the rest because they thought it was better to find a place to "spend, spend, spend" instead of patting themselves on the back for what could have been tens of thousands of dollars of savings to the state.