It took the extreme right 30 years to come to the leadership of the GOP and it may take a few years for the moderates to take it back.

The grassroots effort that Dean started and that Obama and Edwards continue may not pay off immediately, but it will certainly do in the long term. Nobody is talking about the Internet success of Ron Paul much, but is a positive sign that loyal Republicans who prefer moderation are starting to come out of their comatose state. An engaged and informed electorate is a key component of a strong democracy and better still if they are not concentrated in a single party.

Our democracy is weaker today, people don't trust our Government, people don't vote, our reactions to events are delayed... But the winds are changing. Who would have thought in 2003, when 70% wanted to go to war with Iraq, that in 2007 the numbers would be reversed? The GOP will blame the Democrats for anything and everything, but Americans are wising up and it is at their peril that politicians (of both parties) don't pay attention to popular opinions and the mood of voters.

Kudos to the candidates that understand that political leadership is not telling people what they want and what to do, but hearing from the people what they want and decide accordingly what to do.

It seems I learn more from reading the letters in response to an article than the article itself. Thank you salon readers!

I am a foreigner and American citizen and was just yesterday reflecting on this weird aspect of American society. Here one finds the most intelligent critical thinkers, honest, welcoming, compassionate people, who thrives in change and thrives in challenge and is not afraid of throw and entertain new ideas and aspire to high ideals of justice. I believe this is the majority of America.

Yet, there is a small group that has disproportionate influence today. George Bush belongs to this group. This is a group that isolates itself among those who are "like them", think "like them", and demonize those who are not like them by labeling them "liberals", "terrorists", "islamofacists", "unpatriotic", etc. When in their own group, these people are never challenged in their ideas and positions and they feel very comfy and self-assured and certain of the rightousness. And they don't welcome dissenters into their group. There is little or no doubts in this group. In this group the idea that anybody high in a hierarchy (government in particular, certainly church) could be corrupt, mean, or incompentent is nearly inconceivable.... UNLESS the hierarchy is populated by people that are NOT "like them". If any group is not "like them", then there is this almost automatic reaction that everybody is likely corrupt, bad, incompetent, certainly inmoral. This is TRIBAL mentality. And it is a small minority in America.

I believe this group gaining the influence it has happens when one lets religion and politics mix. It has happened with Christianity, Islam, Judaism... When under God's orders, there is no room for uncertainty. Under these circumstances, humans, collectively, commit great dissasters and feel good about it, justifying reality away at every turn.

I must say that I have hope that the majority of Americans that don't function tribally will come out of the sidelines and join in the debate. I must admit I am impatient, very impatient, but the numbers are in our favor.

Greenwald's explanations seem more fitting to the millions of well-intentioned Americans who supported Bush's preemptive Iraq invasion and to the millions who still support Bush rather than Bush and his team of advisors and supporters in the White House and Congress.

It is very appealing to the average American to feel good about themselves and to hold the moral high ground in a troubled world. Americans needed reassurance that all the disasters and wrong doings and secret law-breaking were NECESSARY, for GOOD to triumph over EVIL. Then they were free to not take responsibility for the consequences.

But the Bush Presidency knows better and has no such high noble intentions, in my opinion. They know when they are lying, they know when to hide stuff and how to hide stuff, they know to look for "Congress approval" when it may be obvious to most that what they are doing is illegal. If it was right and righteous and justified, why ask Congress for approval?

They are like many men we have worked with in the past: incompetent and unable to ever admit mistakes and much less correct them. They are proud, foolish, and like to feel powerful and honorable and make money while they are at it.

What they have mastered is the rhetoric of good and evil. At that they are very competent.

The odd thing about this whole tragic experience of the W Bush years is that many of us (who never supported him or his actions and were vocally loud in our opposition) feel the weight of the consequences of the disasters his presidency created on our shoulders more than those that supported such endeavors. Life is not fair.