Dear Editor
  The mid-term elections have confirmed it- the Democratic party is dead. And Big Money killed it.
  Once upon a time, the Democratic Party stood for something. It stood for the average Joe, the lower class, the middle class, the upper-middle class. In other words, the 99 percent of the population that was not represented by the Republican party. The "little" people of this country had a voice, and that voice was the Democratic party. Each party served a clearly-defined constituency. The GOP served the interests of the super wealthy, and the Dems served the interests of everyone else.
  No longer. Now we have essentially a one-party political system in America. Call it the Corporation party. The Democrats are merely a watered-down version of the Republicans, who at least have always been honest about who and what they represent- the elite, the super-wealthy, the 1 percent, the corporations. The Democrats are new to serving a corporate master, and obviously they are confused.

1) Does time really exist?

2) Is poetry dead and did the Koch Brothers kill it?

3) How important was the moon in humanity's spiritual evolution?

4) Is this new animal therapy for depressed gorillas morally right?

5) Why are the Spikedrivers not a national phenomenon?

  OK, so I don't go see them for a couple of years (the Spikedrivers, not the Koch Brothers whose calls I refuse to take anymore because I took a ten grand grant on a pigeon research scam I ran on 'em concerning the Jim Rhodes statue on the Statehouse lawn. Don't ask about the details, suffice it to say they've relegated me to the dead debts section of their political funds portfolio though I told 'em to sell my debt to the city of Detroit--more later).

Last week, the word came down that Bob Dylan was releasing another one of his generally excellent bootleg series, this time the full 1967 recordings known as The Basement Tapes. Like a good little Dylan fan, I immediately toddled down to Barnes and Noble on my lunch break to pick up a copy, with the purpose of (1) entertaining myself on a scheduled trip to Cleveland and (2) reviewing it for The Free Press.
  Once I arrived at the store, I was unable to find anything on the new arrivals rack. Undaunted, I bounced up to the counter and made inquiries, which resulted in a computer search. I was then led to the box sets area, and as panic began to set in I was presented with an giant package with a price tag of around $129.00. Dear heavens. Even with my trusty membership discount this was one I would have to bounce off the wife.

As the nation waits on President Barack Obama to unveil his “Ten Point Plan” for overhauling the U.S. Immigration policy via executive action, which may suspend deportations for millions, one family in Columbus may be broken apart soon.

  When Ángel Bustos arrived at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Columbus on October 27, he never imagined that he might never see his wife April and 7-year-old son Christian again. Ángel was accustomed to weekly meetings with ICE while his petition to remain in the U.S. was being processed. David Deweese, supervising ICE officer for the Columbus field office, denied Ángel’s petition.

  Ángel was arrested and has been in detention since. Today, Ángel is fighting to stay with family and asking Deweese to exercise prosecutorial discretion to make this happen.

  The Department of Homeland Security's frequent deportation of low-level offenders, undocumented minors and breadwinners for U.S. citizens has rallied immigrant rights activists and organizers asking to “Stop The Deportations.”