This Just In

According to a recent poll, 42% of Americans believe Bush did a bad job responding to hurricane Katrina, and an astonishing 35% think he did a good job. So approximately 1/3 of my fellow countrymen and women are delusional.

I guess the old saying is true. By and large, we get the kind of govermnet we deserve.

Way back at the bloggers' convention, I had a conversation with Expat @ Large. He pointed out that Americans tend to see things in black and white, ignoring the subtleties of complex issues. I ventured the opinion that this had to do with the fact that ours was a two party system.

If you look at American politics today, it is positively riven by spin and demagoguery. The Republicans and Democrats are not interested in truth or good governance or serving the people. They are interested in getting elected and reelected. And so they villify each other. Their bullshit, always sterling, has reached truly epic proportions in the last 20 years; Karl Rove, for example, is to political maneuvering what Mozart was to music. I detest him, but even I can admit the man is a genius.

Fox News is another sickening development. Time was, journalists at least gave passing acknowledgment to the idea of fair and balanced reporting. Fox, by airing rabid idiots like Bill O'Reilly, have turned the phrase 'fair and balanced' from a tagline into a punchline.

And to be honest, the Democrats are no better. The same amoral corporations fund both parties, assuring that America is business as usual whoever wins the election, whatever environmental or social consequences there may be.

I said it was astonishing that over one third of Americans are off their rocker, but I shouldn't be surprised. Only a substantial number of idiots would allow such horrible governance to continue, election after election after election.

I feel sick.