Elizabeth is a freelance writer from Pennsylvania. She has been actively involved in the local and state politics of her area since 1986, from grassroots campaigning to participating in community development projects. A registered Republican, she is a self-described socially-liberal-fiscally-conservative-in-favor-of-the-abolition-of-straight-ticket- voting-Pennsylvania-moderate.

Her best source of knowledge about politics was her maternal great-grandmother - a blind and crippled political activist whose philosophy demanded that party affiliation not be a deciding factor at the polls - qualification for the job is the only relevant factor.

Jake was born and still lives in Puyallup, WA. Jake's family was never very political, and he only started following the chaos a year ago. He views it a sense of cynicism, reality and humor (That would explain his collection of George Carlin and Bill Hicks albums)

Jake is often labeled as a "liberal" but he rejects such notions because they're ridiculous. He knows there's something right and something wrong with every party, label, and group around. He is proud to say that a Myspace hate group was made to smear him after he publicly posted an argument he had with the founder on the internet. So if you joined a Myspace group called "Anti-Liberal America" then you owe Jake thanks.

Jake is an actor (Stage and Screen), writer, director, filmmaker, editor, musician and now a political commentator. You can tell he's an actor because he wrote this in third person like a community theatre program.

As much as I’d like to claim independence from parties I tend to lean so far left I become nearly horizontal. I am a social liberal, believing that everyone should have the rights that the Constitution has provided them including, but not limited to, there right of free speech and expression. I also claim to be a fiscal conservative, but that is a misnomer since the Democrats have done more to balance the budget in the last decade than the Republicans can ever claim. In my life I have lived in the inner-city, suburbia, a farm, and a country club neighborhood (for the greater part of my adolescence), so I have developed street-cred on a number of different streets. And though I believe people should say what they think, I also believe they should stop, for just one moment, and analyze whether the words they say might violate the rules of hypocrisy. And the hippie-esque part of me will always come out and say, “Make love not war.”

Toby Roberts is an Independent voter living in California. She has a degree in English with a specialization in literature and rhetoric of the Vietnam War. She would tell you more but is convinced she is under surveillance (as are all of you).

Alex Russell gained his political consciousness in the liberal echo-chamber of Santa Cruz, CA. Since then he has come to understand that nobody, on the left or right, is wrong 100 percent of the time. A former resident of Ballard, WA, Alex is a freelance writer based in North Seattle.

Bill Crossman is a native of Washington State and a retired educator. His passion for education and training lead him to serve as a state education official and professional education association leader impacting local, state and federal education policy for a good part of his career. He grew up in a political family fueled by their pride of immigrant citizenship. He misses the populist and progressive origins of Washington State politics and the long recent history of elected officials lacking the political will to carry out their charter of leadership and stewardship. Bill is self-confessed news junkie and never lacking for an opinion. As a "Baby Boomer", he thought this generation would change the world. He's seen the world through several 'isms--idealism, realism, pragmatism and cynicism, still with a dash of hope. Bill has started a business selling collectibles from the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. It was a hopeful, innocent time and to him, a metaphor for the last time Seattle really pulled something off.

LeftyLucy is a freelance writer and web designer – and formerly a nationally competitive high school debate coach - from Austin. She designs websites for local politicians, among other clients, but most of her writing gigs require an objective stance, so she’s thrilled to have an outlet for her political angst and enthusiasm. Lucy has followed politics since she was old enough to understand what a President was, encouraged by her well-informed and politically opposite parents. Throughout her childhood, Lucy lived in 5 different states, ending up in Texas when she was 14. She’s grateful for the opportunity to see so much of the country and even happier to have settled in Austin. She has an English degree from the University of Texas.

Though she fancies herself a liberal Lucy really enjoys engaging in thoughtful discussion with people of any political persuasion. She likes new ideas and to be convinced to think in a new direction. She’s willing to admit when she’s wrong and is irritated when other people aren’t. She drives her slightly right-leaning but generally apolitical husband crazy with her daily outrage, but he returns the favor with a constant barrage of marathon or other running-related stories. When not raging against the machine, Lucy helps raise their son, and enjoys reading, traveling, working out, the news, Italian cuisine and coffee dates with her friends.