It used to be that the United States government saw itself as the leveler of the playing field, protecting the common folk from the ravages of the rich and powerful despoilers, those who would swindle and gouge and pollute without mercy if there wasn’t anyone to stop them. But suddenly now there’s been a reversal of fortune for the American people, called the Bush Administration. And more than half the country are going along with it, jus’ so long as they keep the queers in their place, and protect the upstanding citizens of Middle America from the mythical monolith called "the liberal elite" (aka the tree-huggers, fem-nazis and baby-killers).



The political system now in place in the U.S. is bordering on hara-kiri. The politicians prostitute themselves to amass large sums of money for their campaigns, which they then spend mostly to destroy the character of their opponents. Since both sides are doing it to each other, the American people are left with leaders who more than half of them believe to be some combination of stupid and evil. More and more people are just not voting, and many who do are doing so with misgivings, i.e., hold your nose and pull the lever.



Speaking of elections...
Kerry and Bush were, if you were to make one generalization that covered them both, proceeding through the campaign with the apparent intention to display their characters as the opposite of what they truly were: Bush as compassionate, industrious and smart, and Kerry as rugged, personable and decisive.