an indictment on the political process

Indeed. I am also entirely with you, Max, in your main points - but I do have some political views. I have been denied the chance of realistic participation in our so-called democracy throughout my adult life, however, since my views do not happen to fit the pigeonholes of the main political parties which exhert such a complete stranglehold on modern Western polities. In these circumstances I cannot partipipate in the vote for the general will, though I have clear views of what that might be. How Rousseau must be laughing!