The Republicans pander to the white religious right.

The Democrats pander to many special interest groups, which includes groups more race-and-ethnicity-based than the Religious Right (and has expressed racism and hatred against whites, particularly those who are religious, from the South, or otherwise violate the PC dicta), while the religious right (as has been true with libertarians) have a) gone to the only major party offering them a home; b) fled persecution and hatred from the other side and the other party.

The Religious Right is not offensive to decent, normal people; we do not fear, much less hate, those people. I’ve heard them described as the GOP’s “albatross,” but that again is primarily due to the wrongful behavior directed at it by the other side (including propaganda that gullible voters will believe) that makes it a political liability.

However I’m not in total agreement with this:

The power of democratic governments stops at their borders, while market forces driven purely by greed extend beyond their reach.

I think the power of governments (including democratic governments) extend beyond their borders and that market forces can be influenced by governments. Some examples of a government exerting it’s influence beyond its borders are tariffs, subsidies (help domestic industries compete globally), aid packages and the threat of war…. I do believe that no matter how much a government can try to influence events, conditions and other countries, that the best a government can do is to encourage conditions to go their way. There’s no full-proof, 100% effective way for a government to control anything.

JSPencer: I agree with you. “People with vision and courage still have the ability to effect (our future) in positive ways”. And I truly believe that the US has not yet passed the point of no return in its decline. I think we are getting close to that point where we can’t turn back, but we’re not there yet. Interestingly enough it may be global warming that will save this country. What I mean is that people work best together when confronting a threat. If the American people (and politicians) feel sufficiently threatened by global warming then they can begin to work together to “solve” that problem. While they’re working on that issue they may begin to work on other issues, too. So a threat such as global warming can save this country.

Regardless of anything else, we need a leader who will pull America together and not divide it for their own political gain and the economic gain of his/her supporters. I think Obama will be best at this, but I’m not too sure about Hillary on this point because she is such a polarizing figure. As far as the Republicans…. none of the current candidates would be good at all on pulling America together. The Republicans pander to the white religious right. The programs the Republicans support overwhelmingly help the wealthy and not do much for the middle and lower classes.

From your keyboard to god’s ears.

There are, extraordinary people, who go to some awful place for one visit and stay a lifetime to do miralces for the locals.

There is, indeed, something in the human sprit that can rise above all predictions and expectations.

Thanks for cheering me up.

I don’t expect to see an article written as a counterpoint to the Klau piece that isn’t written with cheerleader intent.

Ben Wattenberg?

“Instead of an aristocracy of wealth, of more harm and danger, than benefit to society,…make an opening for the aristocracy of virtue and talent.”

Unfortunately, I don’t expect to see an article written as a counterpoint to the Klau piece that isn’t written with cheerleader intent. That said, the future isn’t a done deal and people of vision and courage still have the ability to effect it in positive ways.

Some optimists predict that the trend will reverse some time in the future. They think that the attractiveness of democracy will return when general economic levels rise.
I tend to doubt it. Most social change is brought about by those suffering under current conditions. With a full belly, complacency is the more likely result.
The complacency that comes with personal prosperity is part of what’s behind America’s moral decline. IMO. Protecting persoanl wealth becomes more important than worrying about what horrors go on in back rooms in order to preserve it.

This is a time when I’m glad i’m old and won’t see my worst fears realized.