I realize that a lot of this article is an extended I told you so (Barry Chamish does the same kind of thing), and that in short order, Dave Nalle will be along to spread his hands, distribute the Prozac, and apologize (in a most back-handed way, of course) for the rich bastards and sons of bitches corporate citizens who have brought you all to this low level while wrapping themselves in the flag, etc. Or perhaps that Florida yacht sailsman salesman who writes and comments here will do the honors.

Frankly, the whole debate has become one big yawn for me. In my own eyes, it is not the big issue at all. However, that is only my view.

But, speaking of Barack Obama, you should give credit where credit is due: the TV show 24 has made credible the idea of a black man as president - providing viewers with a taste of what a decisive man of color could do if given the trust and confidence of the American people. He has provided an image of a wise man struggling with crisis.

And now Barack Obama is benefiting from this, presenting himself as an agent of change in a land beset by crises and second-rate fools whose masks of patriotism drop daily as their naked ambition becomes more and more obvious.

Glad you are so calm and objective.

I was being faceicious when I said Kudos to those folks. But the biggest help has been Bush and his war. Folks are sick of it.

Heloise

Heloise,

I enjowed reading your essay but do have some criticisms of it though.

"It's the War, Stupid" You imply that the war is the CAUSE of the economic problems we are experiencing, but I prefer your 2003 explanation much better. Iraqi oil sales were denominated in Euros under the sanctions. Overthrow of regime changed that instantly.

The dollar being the primary currency of trade has always been the goal of U.S. policy. The invasion of Iraq was strategic to at least slowing down the increasing weight of the Euro in world trade. However, that was just one aspect of U.S. economic policy at the time. The bigger and more fundamental is that U.S. economic strength in relation to Europe and Asia has been on the decline for about four decades.

The current Middle East situation on the ground is that the U.S. has CONCRETELY demonstrated what happens if you wander too far from the strategic dictates of the U.S. This position has, at least to some extent, changed the whole political picture in the area, in the favor of the U.S.

Whoever finds him, or herself in the Whitehouse come January will NOT let that slip. It's debatable whether or not they will need to invade Iran, or whether that might cause even more problems than it solves. Iran is already cooperating and/or willing to cooperate. All factions within U.S. ruling circles would prefer leaving a much smaller force on the ground in Iraq. This includes McCain. McCain is just another supporter of the surge policy to decisively break resistance to what the U.S. is setting up in Iraq. No candidate is going to explicitly attack that surge strategy. And that includes Obama.

Afghanistan is also very important and again, you will not see the next president diminishing that importance whatsoever.

Les

Of all the candidates I don't trust to be commander-in-chief, McCain is the one I trust the least.

He is a Bush-brownnoser when it comes to "nation- building" and foreign policy. He thinks the American people can be (mis)led to believe we should stay in Iraq for 100 years. And he seems to be itching for confrontation with Iran, more so than any other candidate.

He might as well run on Bush's record.

I know I don't agree with Heloise regarding Clinton, but, otherwise, I think she makes some good points here. We all should, of course, be more mindful of Ruvy's tendancy toward boredom. Unless we place Israel at the center of the universe, he believes that we just don't get it.

Just think, though, if we could magically get all the money spent in and for the Iraq war and occupation back to do with as we wish, we could provide universal health care for everybody in the country, significantly pay down the national debt, upgrade public education everywhere in the country and much more. But no. We had to avenge Saddam's threat to kill GW's pop. There are priorities, afterall.

B-tone

We all should, of course, be more mindful of Ruvy's tendency toward boredom. Unless we place Israel at the center of the universe, he believes that we just don't get it.

That's not quite true, B-tone. Go reread my article on Hurricane Katrina: The Battle of New Orleans Refought? very carefully, and ponder the following in particular.

As a child, I grew up in the richest nation on earth, the richest nation that had ever existed in the history of Man. It seemed to all go wrong during the years that the American army was sent to Vietnam. A sense of purpose had been lost or misplaced, and the American military, the vaunted mighty force that had defeated all before it, was itself defeated.

The American sense of purpose, your nation's core values, is still lost and misplaced. It's gone. And that is why all the yelling and screaming over which marmoset will become the monkey-in-chief is such a big bore to me. None of you seem to understand that your core values have been lost.

Ruvy,

It's good that we have you to set us straight.

The "marmoset" we elect will likely have a good deal to do with your adopted country's welfare in the coming years. Your boredom will not serve you very well.

I will agree with you that this country is to some extent adrift. A great deal of that is due to it's confusing politics with religions. Or, perhaps more accurately, thinking that religion and politics are the same thing.

I'd say that your own leadership has pretty much lost its way as well. But, that's another story.

B-tone

I agree, we do need a change. Instead of being cowered by fear of terrorists and have hundreds of billions of $$$ taken from us by greedy politicians and sent overseas to fight a needless war, we can be whipped into a frenzy over climate change and have hundreds of billions of $$$ taken from us by greedy politicians and sent overseas to fight a needless cause.

The rape of the American middle class will continue, the only change will be the beneficiaries and the suits in charge.