It would seem some people think the rule book of life can be rewritten to match what we do, and how we do it, in an atmosphere these days where getting ahead at any price is a spreading epidemic.Even the world’s most powerful nations, including Britain and the United States, are locked in a fierce struggle to keep their economic heads above water as the global economy remains shaky creating hardship for millions.Here in Bermuda we too are caught up in economic aftershocks with many job losses and financial insecurity for countless families, and while there have been suggestions for turning things around, there is still doubt as to how soon any type of relief will be felt.The road ahead looks quite bumpy, with feisty political clashes over who has the best plan to regain our footing as one of the most affluent islands on the planet. Most Bermudians are truly concerned about our current direction and with the Progressive Labour Party vying for a fourth term, there is reason to question whether this would be a negative or a positive for Bermuda.Scepticism has even been expressed by some PLP supporters, who have grown disillusioned over the party’s performance as Government over the years, along with numerous allegations that their questionable economic stewardship contributed to our enormous debt.Blaming the worldwide economic recession for our economic plight has not been acceptable to a significant portion of the populace. While this may be debatable, it is no secret that the mood of the Island community is troubled like never before.In most democracies, when families find themselves under mounting economic pressure with nowhere to turn, they usually rely on the ballot box to give someone else a chance to inject new vigour in seeking real solutions. What most people really want is confidence and trust from those who take on the responsibility of leadership.Although PLP diehard supporters are quick to take issue with anyone accusing their party of failure, and they are entitled to that view, a reality check shows there are countless others who feel the time has come to place someone else at the helm. At the moment the One Bermuda Alliance, which has been growing in strength, cannot be taken lightly by the PLP, despite claims by some of their supporters that the PLP voting base is sufficient to get them over the hill no matter what.If the voting public chooses that path, it would simply be democracy at work. Most Bermudians accept that. However there is concern about having one political party in power for too long. Mainly because it is not uncommon for arrogance and complacency to overtake leaders after a lengthy spell in the seat of power. It happens in many jurisdictions.The United Bermuda Party after a long run as Government, crumbled largely because they ignored danger signs, and paid the price. With only two UBP Parliamentary representatives still clinging to a floating deck chair, it seems a pointless stance since the UBP as a political party no longer exists. Their time in the sun has passed.Both of these men undoubtedly have much to offer, but it seems logical they would be more effective as part of a team. It’s like sending two players on a soccer field to face a team of eleven. No match. It is no picnic in the political arena, and those choosing to serve deserve credit for stepping up to the plate. They often endure harsh and nasty remarks at times between those with opposing views, especially in the lead up to a general election. What is disturbing is that key issues such as crime, unemployment, education and better healthcare take second place in the often desperate struggle to gain political advantage.Our population is quite small compared to many other jurisdictions, and we should be better able to avoid the fate of the two fighting sparrows in the road who were so obsessed with taking out the other, they were oblivious to the fast approaching vehicle.As an election inches closer, negative emotional motives derived from past social injustices are clouding clear thinking toward a new day, where the quality of a candidate should be placed above skin colour. Perhaps we are not so far away from those two fighting sparrows on racial matters.Bermuda will continue to face an uphill battle, if our energies are wasted on slicing up each other for whatever reason, instead of pooling our limited resources in order to build a healthy, sound society where transparency and accountability are paramount. That may be wishful thinking in the political party system, but true victory should be measured by what is best for the people, not on what is best for a particular party.If we fail to learn from the two fighting sparrows, it could very well be a long bumpy road ahead for every Bermudian.