to get america to look in the mirror, and see reality.

the only demographic in foreign countries that still respects america are the sociopaths, the rich, the arms dealers, and alqaeda, who are dependent on america for recruitment.

i wish this were a new development, but there is nothing new here. this notion that america is 'exceptional is dead wrong. it is just like every other international thug-nation. it's no accident that dubya's grandaddy was a nazi, folks.

inevitably come to resemble those who do sex or sport for money. like sports people, they have to get the money while they can, before the fans, johns, or voters find a new attraction.

sport, sex, and politics are best done by amateurs, for the fun of it. still, it's a living for awhile if you can't sell aluminum siding or real estate due to visibly poor character, can't run fast or far, and are too fat or ugly.

the nation should establish a retirement home for ex-politicians, so that they wouldn't feel they have to steal so much, so fast. one for ex-dem pollies, in the virgin islands, and one for ex-repubs, on alcatraz. then we wouldn't have to feel sorry for repub congress-people, what a relief!

if you empower these creeps by accepting rule by one man, or a few, you have no moral standing to complain when that one man, or a few, is the dubya regime. and it will be from time to time.

the only protection against these few sociopaths is rule by the whole people, the '96%'. this kind of society is called 'democracy'. it's not hard to do and mostly it's much the same as now. but a people with citizen initiative and recall power gets better performance from it's administrators. 'better' both from competence and morality, or quickly replaced.

after you sign up with gravel's 'initiative for democracy' or any similar non-violent struggle for democracy, then come back and complain. until you do, you're one of the facilitators of gitmo and abu graib. humble silence is all you're entitled to.

but since the usa chose dubya twice i'm inclined to think their choice is not quite a guarantee of quality. they'll vote for anyone.

america is going to get it right this time, but the yokels are still voting republican and will continue to provide a base next time the dems get visibly rotten and the weathervane vote swings around. then the rich will put a smoother nazi in the whitehouse and the nation will ratchet another step down toward paraguay and zimbabwe.

after the thrill of participation wears off, all you've done is elect another politician. obama will put a few band-aids on the worst sores, but america needs a new constitution. without democracy, you're just waiting for the next gang of fascists to come along and trash the nation.

i guess you thought a presidential election was a measured discourse, the thoughtful exposition of how to make america a better place. that's one theory.

the other theory is that two right wing parties are scrabbling for power, whatever it takes, and use any tool to scam the mugs into backing them. think about the history of america and choose which theory comes closer to reality.

sarah palin would do a strip-tease if it would get her to the whitehouse. so would john mccain, although he would have to be reassured it would work. it's unfortunate that the american public likes to pretend the candidates are moral philosophers rather than strippers, but since they are generally fat old men, you can see why the rnc chose the expensive plan 'b'.

political parties do what they do, decrying their behavior is simple disingenuous hypocrisy. ms palin is entitled to her working clothes, as much as any 'randy la rue' on the pole.

you vote for politicians, you pay them, you lay down and let them rape the nation, but suddenly the cost of the pollies clothes is germane? do grow up sometime.

absurd! you think. but the bush regime has killed many more, and lied about it, so we can reasonably imagine one or two more 'retail' level killings wouldn't be beyond them.

on the other hand, they don't have to kill to get what they want. millions of americans are willing to kill out of some feeling of repressed rage. just say "muslim!' or "raghead!" or "terrorist" and they foam at the mouth. clearly they feel any person outside the usa is sub-human, and many of the gun-clutching bible-bashers despise anyone over the county line.

the sad fact is, bush is more typical of the usa than paul wellstone, by a factor of 100. when you vote for any politician, any, you legitimize the rule of the winner. everyone who voted for gore or kerry also put dubya in the oval office.

people like wellstone, a political scientist, should understand this. they should understand that the only change that means anything is a change of the system, not a change of faces. that's why mike gravel started his 'initiative for democracy'. when the usa has citizen initiative there'll be fewer wars, fewer financial collapses, and fewer broken people in va hospitals. because they people who have to bear the consequences will have their finger on the 'stop' switch.