You make a great point. I did get involved, joined the county and state party central committees, attended the meetings, went to the conventions, etc. The main thing I learned is that I really dislike most of the people who are part of the machine. I am disgusted by the wheeling and dealing, and by the back stabbing. I am no longer astounded by the corruption of our government because I have learned that the training ground for the fertile field of corruption in professional politics is found in the party mechanisms at the local level.