Judging by the example of the Super Committee this week, this certainly is no time to play a game of follow the leader because there doesn’t seem to be anybody out in front!

Talk about disheartening — I really didn’t think the members of Congress would let the American people down one more time, but here we are again, stuck between the perpetual partisan rock and a hard place.

I don’t know about the rest of the world but I am close enough to Jan. 1 that I am ready to make a few resolutions.

While I usually lean toward annual promises of things I can do to improve my health, this year my focus will be dead on what I can do to help my country at the voting booth.

Primaries across the country are approaching and I am eager to learn how many other people are just as determined to make a clean sweep of the “do nothings.”

While I usually try to give my home district officials the benefit of the doubt for efforts on my behalf, I’m not so sure I will be as generous going into 2012.

Even though I’m a bit ticked at the entire House and Senate I do realize the efforts of a half a dozen people with good intentions cannot possibly turn the tide of partisanship.

Lots of folks like to say Washington is broke. With the amount of money flowing into campaign coffers I just can’t buy off on the word broke. To me, Congress is like a victim of quicksand — mired down, slowly sinking and drowning us all with their lack of ability to make a sensible decision or take action.

I know my optimism has been stretched to the breaking point and I don’t have one ounce of patience left for any form of partisanship.

After the 2008 election I at least had the satisfaction of making a change. I left the party of my habitual choice and registered as an independent. I don’t know how many other choices I left open to me but I’m certainly into exploring my options.

I watch televised debates, I track polls and I think my first resolution of the new year will be to learn how to go online and check the voting records of my home district’s congressional representatives and senators.

Having said that, I am acknowledging that I not only have to find the time to be more involved but also to find ways in which I can make better choices going into the future.

We have all heard more than our fair share of the word “change” over the past four years.

I suggest we all set partisanship aside, drop the party lines and put America first in 2012.

Can you imagine what change could be brought about if we each made informed decisions, candidate by candidate instead of by party?

While I’m not sure we could pull this off, I would certainly like to see each and every one of us give it an honest try!