Almost all of us are dissatisfied with the direction taken by George W. Bush. Some of us are still vehement, some made apathetic, some glad for the ready humor. But there has never been a realization of how much more purely we could breathe with a little less bureaucracy and a little more self-reliance. Sometimes I wonder: Is it really policy change that we want, or just the relief of a name that isn't immediately associated with bad jokes?

Most of us are comfortable with federal departments living in our airports, entire agricultural and industrial sectors made fat off subsidies, a hefty tax burden on all working people, counterproductive K-12 testing courtesy of No Child Left Behind, and the short-sighted military and economic coercion of sovereign nations. It's an illustration of the biggest casualty of the past eight years, and now the biggest casualty of the 2008 elections: small government.

Hope! Change! Even Mitt Romney is trying to capitalize on the two words-but before Barack Obama claims intellectual property rights, we have to remember that hope and change are not something to be doled out like another entitlement, subsidized by government, politicians or media conglomerates. Democracy is bottom-up, and hope comes only when people have enough space, opportunity and self-reliance to create their own kind of change.

So even if you're not voting for him, even if it doesn't happen this election, consider the ideas of Congressman Ron Paul-a little-known, oft-marginalized candidate with tremendous grassroots support, the most donations of any candidate from active-duty military members and an unusual sense of decency.

Free the economic system for real market forces-not corporatism, but honest competition that opens industry for new ideas, jobs and services, that responds to consumer needs in a way that government monopolies do not.

Dust off the Constitution. It's been hiding in a museum for a while-but there's something to be said for government accountability, setting boundaries the federal government cannot cross and remembering that there are responsibilities that Congress should not abdicate to the executive branch (declaring war, for example).

Honor the promises that we've made to take care of people currently dependent on government for provisions, but let our generation opt out of Social Security, and more, if we like, let us take a step in the more difficult but always worthwhile path of self-sufficiency.

Remember that working Americans have more right to the fruits of their labor than bureaucrats have to squander it on wars we don't need and agencies that do nothing. We know it's hard work that creates prosperity-not easy credit, short-sighted investments, reckless deficit spending or inflationary measures-but the impending economic crisis shows it's Washingtonthat needs to learn this most of all.

So as the candidates waste debate time squabbling over religion, race, Ronald Reagan and hairdos, then nitpick at voting records that are far too similar, Ron Paul sits on the sideline of the debate-ignoring them about as much as Fox News ignores him, talking about issues and trusting that it's issues that the American people care about.

Those of us classical liberals, non-interventionists, fiscal conservatives, concerned Republicans, concerned Democrats, true Independents-forget useless modified nouns for a second-those of us who want the country to remember the principles it was founded on, who want our government to return some of that freedom ... we feel some hope.

Tags: PRESIDENTIAL RACE 2008, ELECTIONS 2008 COMMENTARY