I guess I am showing my age, but I am old enough to remember a kinder, gentler nation.  It was called the Carter Presidency.  Ronald Reagan then spearheaded a Reactionary assault on Civil Liberty and basic human dignity that has continued almost without stop until today.  If you are a Born-Again Fanatic, a Country Club Capitalist, A Neanderthal Nationalist, Ignorant Homophobe, NRA Nazi, or Redneck Racist; congratulations, you are living in the right country.  A human being, however, is left out in the cold.  Ignorance is bliss, and simple solutions for simple minds are the norm in a changing, complex world. November 2000 was the death of Democracy in our country.  It even began before that with the ousting of the noble John McCain (the best Republican in decades!) from the primary race.  Funny how McCain won most of the primaries, yet NONE of the back room caucuses states?  Why?  The Republican National Commitee could not control the maverick from Arizona.  The good handsome non-entity with the pedigree fit the bill perfectly.  When most of America realized the emptiness behind Dubya they voted for Gore......but wait!  A last minute call to Brother Jeb in Florida is all it took. Did 9/11 modify my doubts?  No.  This administration made a fool of itself in foreign policy with the Euro Economic Summit, the Kyoto Protocols, the ABM Treaty, etc.  Then comes his chance to act heroic because of a religious fanatic.  We could have launched a measured response to eliminate the terrorist network and its head, without a full scale invasion of another Third World country.  But nevermind, the guy is a Republican...... Reform is dead in America.  There can be only revolution.  Sadly, the Revolution/Reaction will come from the Right.  They have the guns and the money.  Wlecome to Fascist America.  See you in the camps :-(