Anyone with even the mildest interest in the politics of our country knows that the tone of its discourse has sunk to unfathomable levels. While our military fights an increasingly unpopular and unsuccessful war thousands of miles from our shores, needless punditry and positioning continues unabated here at home. American politicians and the members of the media who do their bidding will stop at nothing to beg, borrow or steal your vote in November.

Ann Coulter is foremost among them.

This is not to suggest that you absolutely must disagree with her or land on the opposing side of the political volleyball net. It's merely a plea to think for yourself, whether you support Ann's preferred candidates or not.

Vote for the people YOU want to see running the country. If it happens to be the ones she also backs, so be it. But don't let Ann Coulter do your thinking for you.

"Why not?" you might reasonably ask. Certainly, it's far easier to let those who follow politics for a living act on our collective behalf, weeding out the unelectable and backing the viable. But it's precisely this expediency that makes it so dangerous. In a utopian world where everyone acts above-board and without ulterior motive, such a plan might work. In the realm of 21st century American politics, it is naivete at best and outright foolishness at worst.

The litany of Ann Coulter's misleading statements, misdirections and outright lies make it clear that she has little more than her own interests at heart. Clear thinking demands that we first strip out what is poisoning the system. It starts by changing the channel when you see people like Ann on TV, turning the page when you spy one of her column in a newspaper's Op-Ed section and leaving her ridiculous screeds on the bookstore shelf.

Beyond that, it means we need to think more critically well before we step into the voting booth. We need to see through the fear and resume control of our political destiny, taking it back from those who have abused it to make a few bucks.