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Democracy is simply a term used to define a government selected by vote under a constitution. The West Bank is a democracy. The voters voted for Hamas! Iraq is a democracy: The voters voted for Maliki.

Our form of democracy is somewhat different from the rest. We are based on a set of ideals that have shifted over the centuries. We originally wanted to be left alone behind our two great oceans. We had no interest in being a world power. We simply wanted trade partners and treaties that protected the mutual interests of us and the partner.

It wasn't until the late nineteenth century that we began emerging on the world stage in places like Panama, Cuba, the Philippines and not until after WW II that we became the pre-eminent power to most of the world. Britain had pre-eminancy until well after WWII when its empire collapsed under the weight of trying to manage it probably beginning when Mohandas Gandhi sat down in front of a train ... and brought the empire to its knees without so much as buying a ticket or stealing a ride!

WE filled a vacuum after WWII taking a front seat in the management of Europe's devastated affairs through the Marshall Plan and in Japan and Germany through the power of having beaten them at war.

We have lost our own glow as Britain did through trying to be too much involved in everyone else's affairs. We lost our original mission which was to make a place for our own people and the people who chose to come here to become citizens. We have allowed morons like George Bush to define democracy and patriotism. That putz has never read a book about history and only listens to the other morons who were pre-approved by his daddy who will go down as the second worst president now that we have had Georgie in office.

Don't give up. This nation, like all others, will either redefine itself to meet its needs or will change into something else. It will mean nothing. The people have outlived nations and are still here.

Remember the old song, Istanbul not Constantinople? What's the difference? St Petersburg became Leningrad and then reversed itself. European countries are born and die in the same breath. Europeans go on acting like they have all the answers. Where is Rhodesia today?

Don't sweat the small stuff. As long as the men in the black boots aren't coming to take you away, there is still a chance. When they come, don't say I didn't warn you. It can happen here.

LOL! Thanks for the pep talk, Milt! But, didn't the USA use to be a Republic?

'Circling the drain' is an excellent metaphor.

Our 535 elected officials have hijacked the government so it is run like most major businesses--for the short term gain of the few at the top without regard for any other responsibility.

We are a fragmented society--I think we lack the norms and customs that insure viability. Civil political discussions are next to impossible.

Economically we've raced to the bottom to give away the store. I don't see any solutions pending, but I am watching the developments with great interest.

Sorry, misread the sentence.

While you wait and see. We well go to one nation canda,mexico and the usa. this is the idea of otheres who control all. Give me control of the money and I care not who makes the laws.