But don’t expect the so-called leaders such as Nancy Pelosi or John Boehner or the verbally clever Barney Frank not to mention the dangerous Newt Gingrich to grasp such a complexity of thought. They care about one thing and one thing only, their power. The citizens don’t count; the magnitude of America’s responsibility to the world at large appears anathema to them.

No less to blame for the political fiasco are the two candidates vying for the Presidency, both who have proven to the electorate that despite their lofty rhetoric and their campaign promises they will only continue politics as usual when elected.

Both men have been playing politically fast and loose with the financial crisis. And despite Barack Obama’s promise of change, and John McCain’s promise to fight the special interests in Washington, neither displayed either quality or stepped up to the plate as true leaders in what might have been each man’s finest hour.

Americans have been hung out to dry by the very people we have elected. Americans no longer count, if ever they did. Country surely is meaningless in the dogma of the likes of the partisans ruling on Capitol Hill.

But Americans can’t blame the elected leaders alone. What does it say about a people who allow themselves to be treated with such contempt by those in power? Americans have become subservient to their leaders rather than champions of Democracy.

In the face of trying times the masses look to their leaders for hope and change. When those in power consistently fail to deliver, what then? How long do Americans hang on to the hope of something different?  

The Sabbath that takes place between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, during the Ten Days of Repentance, is called Shabbat Shuvah (Sabbath of Return). This Sabbath is considered to be an important opportunity for Jews to reflect and repent before Yom Kippur.

It is believed that on Rosh Hashanah, God inscribes us in "books." God decides not only whether we will have a good or bad year, but also whether we will live or die in the upcoming year. Then on Yom Kippur, God seals these "books." Thus, on Yom Kippur Jews wish each other a "Good Signing (in the Book of Life)" (Chatima Tova).

It follows that during the Ten Days of Repentance, the "books" are still open. God has judged, but not yet passed sentence. Repenting (as well as praying and giving charity) during the Ten Days of Repentance is the way to reconcile with God and change His inscription in the "books". Thus, Jews repent during the Jewish High Holidays in the hope that God will grant them a good year.

It seems to me there needs to be some serious reflection and repenting on Capitol Hill. But the change and the thwarting of special interests will only come from America’s citizens.

Americans can continue to be the victims of the vast propaganda machine disseminated by our government, our newspapers, and our candidate’s political machinery. They can go on allowing ourselves to be marginalized by the needs of the powerful. They can further maintain the passivity that has befallen America’s citizens who think they have contributed to democracy when they cast their vote (the few that do). This is not enough.

Nor is the simple hope that things will one day be different, or that one leader can precipitate that change (think Lenin, Trotsky, Hitler, Mao). Americans must participate in order to effect change and refuse to fall prey to manipulation of their lives by standing up and making noise, a joyful noise, through activism, the anecdote to passivity.

Happy New Year, America. Leshanah tovah tikatavu: May you and America be inscribed for a good new year on the page: Politics of Atonement.