An uneven fight.

In Russia, the ruthless yet cunning man ended up on top by elbowing everyone else in the face -- in the US an assortment of lawyers made sure the idiot son of a plutocrat one-term president was handed the top job. 

Not that it was all that challenging given that half the american population will happily saw off the branch they are sitting on whilst clutching their bibles and their guns; seriously believing it is the will of God.

It is said that we get the leaders we deserve.   One wonders what collective sin would warrant punishment as severe as this: ending up with this fool, not one term, but two.  Perhaps for the sin of being embarrasingly ignorant and backward?

There are people who believe that dinosaur and man co-existed only a few thousand years ago. Who believe in witches and that God wants them to go bomb the shit out of brown people half way around the world.  People who hold important positions in government.  State and federal.  I shit you not.  The US has one foot in the dark, deep, middle ages.

Perhaps what  this situation needs is a complete financial collapse.  Perhaps people will see more clearly when the US becomes a former superpower.  Perhaps, when it is too late for any form of recovery, will the people see that we are way beyond the point where we can have the luxury of choosing a president based on issues like stance on abortion.

Abortions become a completely academic issue when you have no place to live, nothing to eat and no means for sending your kids off to college.  It becomes an academic issue when countries like India start outsourcing their menial jobs to the US.

Yes, the debate on abortion is a serious one, but it is not as serious as the collapse of the entire economic system.  But by all means, if you want the US to become the third world country it is so eagerly trying to become, do carry on.

Imagine the glee with which Osama bin Laden, if he is even alive, observes.  Having scared the ignorant masses of the US into a huddle and made them select Bush -- who then has run the US aground and is about to turn the US into the Soviet Union.  Food for thought: after the bailout, the US will have more government ownership of businesses than is the case in Russia.  

The most destructive power in any war is a terrible leader.  Bush is a terrible leader.  McCain is just more of the same.

Meanwhile the world is looking to the EU, and to Russia, and to China, and to Brazil.

Last chance, America.  Last chance.  In a bit over 40 days you decide if America survives or becomes irrelevant.