Alito is a symptom, not a disease. It appears that Roberts is far more dangerous (being smarter), but he is also a symptom. Even George W. Bush is a symptom. Neither of these men, individually, feels like the entirety of the disease.

What's this malaise? It appears that we have passed the crest of a millenial wave. A thousand years ago, the West was immersed in somnambulent Middle Ages, wallowing in far-right Christianity that would give Jerry Falwell a run for his money. Remember, these were the folks who thought that children, being pure of soul, would make the best Crusaders. The civilization of those years rested in the East, in the Chinese and Arab worlds. This, if you're paying attention, is where civilization is going again. America is in danger of becoming a third-world country, if it hasn't already. A third-world country which thinks that just because it's USA, it's #1.

Alito is a symptom of that, a nation which will elect a President who behaves like an Emperor. Sure, a few intellectuals may voice contrary opinion, and a bunch of "we, the people" may act like it chafes, but we allowed it to happen, and so it's happening. No matter what their poll numbers say, the President represents the final public opinion, and in the end the public opinion says that we're #1 because we're USA, and therefore we are infallible. Are you then surprised that a nation like that elects a man like Alito to a lifetime appointment in the highest court?

Democrats, Republicans. Pfui! These words mean little these days. Remember the days when America stood for goodness that was real? Neither do I. It's been that long. Remember Presidents who said "we do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard?" Neither do I, I wasn't born yet. Yeah, it's been that long. It appears, at the moment, that we've lost our mojo. Alito is a symptom of that. So is Bush.

So let's not try to figure out where the Democrats screwed up or where the Republicans screwed us. It's up to we, the people, to build a better society anyway, a society where Alitos and Bushes don't get to rule our lives. And if not, then we get what we deserve. No, folks, neither the Democrats nor Republicans "did this to us", nor did God or Devil or even Karma. We did this to ourselves, dumbing ourselves down before the media had a chance to do it to us.

Remember old Ben? "The People get the Government they deserve." Here you go.

All the other more sinister stuff aside... it's kind of scary for a former citizen of the Soviet Union to hear people talk about a "bright future". We, the Soviets, spent 70 years building a "bright future". Maybe it's just a coincidental use of words, but it's a concidence that would send shivers down the spines of some immigrants in this country.

How many male politicians do you know whose failures are blamed upon their misbehaving wives? Men throughout history appear to act just fine regardless of who their spouses are. Even Taft, whose wife basically forced him into the white house, is not quite remembered as the guy whose wife ruined his historical legacy. So... why should women be any different? Nobody is completely to blame for their failures (nor can they take sole credit for their successes), but if you want freedom and equality, then let the shortcomings of King and Clinton be the shortcomings of King and Clinton, not their husbands. After all, they are strong women who are not defined by the men they married. Claiming otherwise works against the "freedom and equality" that feminists crave.

I suppose Americans think that the Western nations have ALWAYS dominated the industry and science of the world. A more accurate perception would be that we've come into our own while China has been voluntarily hamstringing itself for the last half-millenium. After all, in the fifteenth century, the Chinese were poised to take over the world in the same way that the Europeans would do just a few decades later, big trans-oceanic ships and all. We, the Westerners, simply don't KNOW what it's like to live in a world with a pro-active, dynamic, innovative China. Well... we DIDN'T know. Now we do.

Nothing truly new here. China is the nation that's invented paper, printing, gunpowder, rockets and magnetic compass, so it shouldn't be a surprise that they're kicking butt yet again. The subject of discussion should rather be their recently ended half-millennium of stagnation and what should WE do in order to not fall into the same hole.