The nation's capital has been shaken by the recent Rasmussen poll indicating that a significant portion of Americans would support a third—party candidate for President in 2008. Perhaps most alarming to Washington's current ruling class is the fact that such rampant discontent with the likely choices of either major party for President Bush's successor is also reflected in the polling data indicating public disgust with the entrenched members of Congress as well.

Most assessments of the poll attempt too deep (too 'nuanced' if you will) an analysis, and thus miss the basic point it highlights.

Ultimately, the Rasmussen poll shows that it is conservatism, hated by the Democrat insiders and abandoned by fearful Republicans, that is missing in Washington. Moreover, a truly conservative agenda would most certainly attract grassroots Democrats as it did in the 1980 and 1984 elections of Ronald Reagan.

Then, as now, they are not drawn to the 'light—beer' version of liberalism advocated by GOP 'moderates,' but to truly conservative alternatives.

Reagan benefited from 'crossover' voters, not by presenting himself a cheap imitation of Democrats, but by offering a real alternative to the 'business as usual' climate in Washington. Even the presence of John Anderson, the 'moderate' third party alternative in the 1980 race, did not take votes from Reagan, but from the perennially insipid incumbent, Jimmy Carter.

Americans are daily confronted by a host of impending crises, and they are aware that those inside the Beltway are fixated on achieving the best looking posture, but have no intention of making the difficult decisions necessary to truly address each situation. Yet like the terror war (the only national emergency about which it can be said that the government acted decisively and effectively), Americans recognize that platitudes and wasted money will not indefinitely delay the grim consequences of inaction.

Alarmingly, the two issues that best illustrate this recognition are reaching critical mass at virtually the same time. In the past few weeks, Americans have tasted the bitter fruit of both the negligence in protecting the nation's borders and the lack of a worthwhile energy policy, and the consequent skyrocketing of gasoline prices.

Monday's mass protests by open borders advocates, while hardly crippling the country as their planners had hoped, nevertheless demonstrated the presence of an increasingly coordinated and belligerent potential army massing within this nation's boundaries. Aided and abetted by a Mexican president who vigorously enforces his own southern border but believes we have no right to do the same, many within this multitude visibly hold no allegiance to our country or its heritage.

And as this force gains power and organization, its leaders seek to wield its clout in order to alter the political and social climate to their own greatest advantage.

Yet instead of admitting to the true nature of the crisis and dealing forthrightly with it, those in government charged with upholding the integrity of the nation and truly preserving its Constitution are still attempting to tap—dance their way around the enormity of the invasion, and steadfastly avoiding consideration of the magnitude of response necessary to truly secure the nation.

The disgraceful bill that nearly passed in the Senate last month would have imposed a token 'fine' on the illegals, thereafter essentially granting them legal status. Whereupon the political class would have declared the problem 'fixed' as readily and happily as Neville Chamberlain claiming 'Peace in our time.' But reality surged through the streets of America's major cities on May 1.

Similarly, the energy situation should have been addressed more than a decade ago, yet aside from symbolism, nothing has been done to alleviate the impending problem. Democrats have been perpetually willing to demagogue the issue, knowing that unlike 9—11, the day of reckoning was some time away.

Well that day has arrived. Now they deflect criticism for their unwillingness to prepare, by stoking flames of class envy against oil producers. As long as they can keep this ruse going, they can avoid responsibility. And in all likelihood, they will continue to be abetted by Republican timidity.

In the face of threats of being painted as 'anti—environment,' Republicans are historically too afraid to press the issue of exploring and drilling for new sources of oil, which is the only real solution to the problem. Instead, Republican Senate Leader Bill Frist has proposed a 'fix' that is sadly reflective of last year's abominable spending binge in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. Frist advocates a hundred dollar payoff to lower—income Americans, ostensibly to defray the higher cost of energy.

Meanwhile, the entire country suffers while Congress remains hopelessly crippled by the partisan bickering that offers wild Democrat accusations and Republican cowardice as a substitute for real action. The only thing worse for the nation is the occasional episode of 'bipartisanship' by which Washington increasingly fortifies itself against real America.

Thus is the growing affinity with a 'third party' easy to understand.

Christopher G. Adamo is a freelance writer and staff writer for the New Media Alliance. He lives in southeastern Wyoming with his wife and sons. He has been active in local and state politics for many years.