How can a nation of generally reasonable, rational people allow themselves to become so blind to the real and complex issues facing us as a nation? What has happened to us and to the dream that was the United States that our leaders are now reviled? And yet we spend time and effort on items like evolution versus "intelligent design" - a code for gee that problem is too hard for me to answer, so ah, God did it. I really am confounded by these things. Have we become so self-absorbed and feckless we allow ourselves to be so easily manipulated? Or have we become so cynical that none of the circus of comedy in our reality any longer holds serious interest or import? How could we so lose our focus on the goodness of the future to allow ourselves to be dragged needlessly into a "you took a pot shot at my dad, so I'm gonna kick your ass" pissing contest between G.W.B. and Hussein?

I guess the only bright spot out of this is often from the toils of war come breakthroughs that benefit humanity - but always at terrible cost. And now in addition to the human cost, our nation has been beset by leaders that seem to be hellbent on damning America's position in the global community from being the bright and shining star of opportunity to being the bully boy reviled or ignored whenever possible.

Where are real leaders - that rise above political party and focus on what is good and right for the nation - where are those people when you need them? The Republican leadership believes it is above the law - because we are doing what is right and you have to break a few eggs making a cake - and the Democrats appear to be so feckless they can't mount any kind of rational campaign to recover. Perhaps it is time to start a new group: "The reformed democratic party". This would be a group interested in doing what is best for the country, not like the current slate of Democrats (D's) and Republicans (R's), i.e., Demagouges Inc. People interested in solving root cause issues from a rational perspective, not so ideological as to put party above country. Why don't the R's and the D's recognize that what is best for the country is what is best for their party instead of the more perverse, what is best for the party MUST BE what is best for the country? There are now so many special interest groups, the inmates have taken over the asylum!

Oh well, no doubt this screed will generate a number of responses from those who believe G.W.B was appointed by God and that "his work is ordained". So perhaps my initial perspective regarding reasonable and rational was inaccurate? One thing that is accurate, the vitriol much of the world now feels for us as a nation, though fortunately, not at us individually.

Until next time I remain -
Thoughtfully yours