Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Fuckin' democracy, how does it work

Yesterday's so-called election in the US showcases the fundamental problem with democracy: the fact that most people are idiots. But hey, who cares, they aren't voting anyway! 40% voter turnout, and that's supposed to be the greatest democracy on earth? Give me a fucking break.

I wonder what kind of campaign would have been run and how the general feeling would have been over there if Obama had been entirely white, and not just half. But of course that could never be more than a thought experiment.

In one way this is a good thing for the Democrats ... it will be extremely hard for the Republicans to pretend that events over the next two years are nothing to do with them (cause you know that everything that's gone wrong from 2000 till now is Clinton's fault; seriously, people believe that) and so when the next presidential election comes along the Democrat will have a head start and will probably make it by the skin of his teeth. Or hers. The US is in a dangerous downward spiral, they're heading for the edge, and if they can even be pulled out of this tailspin then that's a process that will take years. I don't understand what these so-called voters ... retarded dipshit idiots, whatever ... are thinking ... the Republicans have run the country into the ground, now it turns out that the Democrats don't have magic powers and there isn't a button to push that will make everything alright ... so now they want to put the Republicans back in power again. I perceive a hole in this logic.

I don't think the average American really has any idea how completely screwed they are. How deep the shit is that they are in fact in. I suspect that a lot of them really believe that there is some kind of quick fix that can pull them out of it. It's kind of sad. But on the other hand, they do in some ways deserve it. My sympathy is limited. But of course I shouldn't feel that way, I should feel empathy for the American people, they are the victims of a propaganda war and a dangerously shoddy school system. But, meh, they ruin it with all their bragging and dumbassery.

Anyway, where was I. Oh yeah, since the Republicans are the ones who mostly created this mess, and since they clearly say that they want to carry on the policies that led to it, it doesn't seem very sensible to give them the chance to screw things up even further. But the irony is that the Democrats can't fix it either. I don't understand why people think that they can? Republicans, Democrats, it's the same thing. Why are they perceived as being so different that it's all but tearing a nation apart? They agree on literally everything that really matters. And they're both shit and neither of them will get the US out of the mess that it's in.

It's like ice cream, you know? People may perceive a difference, but there isn't really one. Do you want vanilla or do you want chocolate? In your head those two may be different, but to your body, nutrition-wise, it's the same worthless crap.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

"I wonder what kind of campaign would have been run and how the general feeling would have been over there if Obama had been entirely white, and not just half."

White Americans desperately wanted to put their racial guilt behind them and that was greatly to Obama's benefit in 2008. He presented himself as the post racial president, and white Americans eagerly accepted him on those terms, and voted for him in record numbers.

The vote on November 2, 2010 had nothing to do with Obama's race.

Obama's polices are what turned many Americans against the Democrats. Billion dollar bailouts for bankers and Wallstreet companies while the rest of Americans suffered the highest unemployment in decades and a weakening economy. Government takeover of major businesses like General Motors to save Union jobs and union pensions while average citizens in the private sector got taxed up the yazoo to pay for it.

Forcing healthcare legislation through Congress that most Americans opposed. Raising the national debt by trillions of dollars which our children and grandchildren will never be able to repay. Promising to end wars which haven't been ended.

One after the other, his actual policies made a lot of Americans very unhappy.

Now, take whatever stance you will on those issues, a fair agrument can be made one way or the other. That's a whole separate discussion for another day. But nevertheless, many Americans became deeply disenchanted with Obama's policies.

As an American who voted in 2008 and in 2010 I will tell you honestly...

Race had nothin' to do with it.

By the way, as a so-called American voter I guess I'm a "retarded dipshit idiot" in your eyes which is sad to me, because I enjoy your blog and I would never insult Norwegians with such a broad brush.

Patrick

Leisha Camden said...

First of all, thank you for commenting. Interesting to get your perspective.

Second, please see the disclaimer in the upper right hand corner.

I'm sorry to have upset you with this post, if I have ... but since I had no idea you even existed until today, it was difficult to take your feelings into account. I don't know whether you are one of the group that I maligned - I don't know you, so am not in a position to say. I am inclined to think not, based on your comment. But did you believe in 2008 that Obama could fix all the things that were going wrong in two years? Did you think that anyone could? Do you think the Republicans - or the Democrats, for that matter - will be able to fix all these things over the next two years? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then yeah, you are among the dipshit retards.

I also apologize for making my slur sound as if I only intended it for Americans - you guys are the ones who just voted, so you're who I was writing about, but I am of course of the opinion that the majority of everyone everywhere consists of retarded dipshit idiots. Like I said in the post, that's the fundamental problem with democracy. People are idiots. Almost everyone everywhere. I singled Americans out in this post because it's about your election, obviously. Plus your country does by all measures appear to have way more than its fair share ... I'm not sure if you realize it, but from this side of the pond, US political life looks like a harebrained circus with demented clowns and rabid animals. No offense, that's just my perception. Little real information but buttloads of crazy propaganda, and an educational system that in some places seems hardly worthy of the name - that's gonna create almost nothing but dumbasses and idiots. 2+2=4, that's just the way it goes.

Another disclaimer: I'm not by that saying that these things in Norway are perfect, or even all that good. I don't know if you follow Norwegian politics much? If you do, and if you've read this blog before - as I get the impression that you have - then I'm sure you realize that I'm very well aware of how many dipshit retards we have right here at home. The Progress Party is at almost 25%. o_O There are idiots everywhere. We are surrounded.

Leisha Camden said...

(cont.)

But Americans do seem to be the worst of a bad bunch, because American voters really do seem to believe that Obama could have fixed all these things you mention in the time that he's had available, and with the almost total lack of cooperation from the other side, and that he's incompetent because he hasn't fixed it. Believing that is idiotic, imbecilic, retarded. No one could have fixed it. I don't think anyone can or will be able to fix it.

Yes, he may have chosen the wrong measures and he is probably too stubborn for his own good, from where I'm sitting. But seriously, race had nothing to do with it? It's all policy? I think I have to disagree.

I'm not at all convinced that there aren't shitloads of voters out there, or at least potential voters, who really know very little about Obama's policies. Who get all they know about him and his politics - about any politics - from Fox News or worse. Who actually think that all these messes could have been fixed now. Who think that the president has superpowers and can fix everything quickly and easily if only he puts some elbow grease into it. Who genuinely think that Obama is a Muslim and a socialist ... but who don't even know what socialism is. For them, I'm pretty sure that race had a little bit to do with it. All the shit that Obama's had to take these past two years - that cotton pickin' president! - you're not really saying that an all white president would have had to take that same shit?

I know you won't say that, because: White Americans desperately wanted to put their racial guilt behind them and that was greatly to Obama's benefit in 2008. So, great awareness of race back then. Indubitably for better and worse. But two years later that has been totally overshadowed, 100%, by policy? With media like yours? Sorry, I don't buy it.

That wasn't an important point in my post, anyway. I think the real point is this: Obama hasn't done the job that you all imagined he could do, because the US is getting almost impossible to run. You have two political parties - not much to choose from, or as we say in these parts, plague and cholera - one of which refuses to accept the right of anyone else to govern. (And which is getting less capable, itself, of governing by the day.) You have an almost unbelievable list of incredibly complicated and serious problems. You owe so much money that I can't even comprehend a figure that high.

Your country is teetering on the edge of an abyss. You guys are screwed. Of course Obama can't fix it. Probably no one can fix it. It's too late. Move over, your time's up. The People's Republic's gonna take it from here.

Again, thank you for commenting. Hope to see you again some time. I hope things work out for you guys, but the odds are against you. Whatever you vote for.

Anonymous said...

" I'm sorry to have upset you with this post, if I have ... but since I had no idea you even existed until today, it was difficult to take your feelings into account."

When I read someone's blog I hardly expect them to be aware of my personal existence let alone take my feelings into account. I mean that's just plain silly. So how can I hold you responsible for not knowing that I, or my feelings, existed?

But still, I will speak out if I think someone unnecessarily insults me or my countrymen. You did that when you called those Americans who oppose Obama's policies as "dipshit idiots".

Why do that? Why resort to peronal insults? If you wish to argue for Obama's policies then fine. Do so on the merits. One can argue one way or the other for Obama's policies. Why the need to personally disparage those who take an opposing view? Whether you know if I personally exist or not, or care about my feelings, is beside the point. Why
call anyone who disagrees with you an insulting name?

"But did you believe in 2008 that Obama could fix all the things that were going wrong in two years? Did you think that anyone could? Do you think the Republicans - or the Democrats, for that matter - will be able to fix all these things over the next two years? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then yeah, you are among the dipshit retards."

Much is wrong in America right now. Everyone with a sense of history realizes it can't be fixed in two years. That's not why people are upset with Obama. In America those who are opposed to Obama are not opposed to him because he hasn't solved the problem in two years. They are not opposed to him because of his race. They are opposed to him because they disagree with his proposed solutions. That's a simple point.

"I also apologize for making my slur sound as if I only intended it for Americans - you guys are the ones who just voted, so you're who I was writing about...

Thanks for that. I've read your blog for a while and I like it, so I know you're not that kind of person. As an American I took it a little personally when you called some of us dipshit idiots, so thanks for backing off on the American slur.

"....I'm not sure if you realize it, but from this side of the pond, US political life looks like a harebrained circus with demented clowns and rabid animals"

I have a little bit of a clue. Though I'm an American I spent a lot of time in Norway during the autumn of 2008 prior to the US election. I read Aftenposten every morning, talked to people during the day, and mostly watched TV2 every night. So I
got a little glimpse of Norways's infatuation with Obama. From an Americans point of view, it was pretty amazing. Magically, I was in a country that loved Obama more than America even did!

Nobel prize, no surprise, to me.

patrick (continuted...)

Anonymous said...

"because American voters really do seem to believe that Obama could have fixed all these things you mention in the time that he's had available, and with the almost total lack of cooperation from the other side, and that he's incompetent because he hasn't fixed it. Believing that is idiotic, imbecilic, retarded. No one could have fixed it. I don't think anyone can or will be able to fix it."

On this point I want to say again, for those of us who didn't vote for the Democrats in 2010, it's not because Obama didn't fix things fast enough, or wasn't able to fix things due to his political opponents. There are many Americans who simply disagree with Obama's proposed methods for fixing things. His solutions are policies that many Americans are fundamentally opposed to.

"All the shit that Obama's had to take these past two years - that cotton pickin' president! - you're not really saying that an all white president would have had to take that same shit?"

" White Americans desperately wanted to put their racial guilt behind them and that was greatly to Obama's benefit in 2008. So, great awareness of race back then. Indubitably for better and worse. But two years later that has been totally overshadowed, 100%, by policy? With media like yours? Sorry, I don't buy it."

George Bush, the whitest of white presidents, took a ton of shit from the press, week in and week out, during his whole term as president.. He was called, and perhaps rightly so, the stupidest president in US history. He was ridiculed and made fun of night after night on David Letterman and other popular TV shows. Obama hasn't seen that degree of negative media yet.

The American press overwhelmingly supported Obama prior to his election, and for the first two years. The media tide is just beginning to turn now against him.

I will tell you honestly, I see no signs of race in this. Americans are turning away on policy alone. Especially economics. There are those on the left, those on the right, and those in the middle. In 2008 Obama won those in the middle. In 2010 those same middle of the road voters, who voted for him in 2008, turned against the Democrats. Race had nothing to do that.

patrick (continuted...)

Anonymous said...

"Your country is teetering on the edge of an abyss. You guys are screwed. Of course Obama can't fix it. Probably no one can fix it. It's too late. Move over, your time's up. The People's Republic's gonna take it from here."

We didn't expect him to fix it stratightaway. Not in two years anyway. We just didn't want him to make things worse. His policies, especially his economic policies, are on the fast lane to the abyss. Light speed. The future will be here before we know it. And it will be bad.

I know we Americans are screwed. Given our politics, but mostly our economics, that's our future. It's the path we're on now, and on that point Obama is irrelevant.

I'm just wondering how many Europeans are aware that when America goes down the tubes, you guys in Western Europe are going right down the toilet with us. Economically/militarily we've been the the ugly Uncle keeping the wolves at bay for the last 60 years or so. When we bite the dust it's a hard rain gonna fall on Europe. And quickly.

Russia, or most likely China, will soon be making their moves. European diplomacy without any muscle behind it brings memories of Caesar beckoning his Legions to man the gates of Rome when there's nobody left to man the gates. Clarion calls to an empty and lost empire.

The UN will pass resolutions. But China or Russia or someone else with the the strength not to worry about UN resolutions will command the troops and the will to use them. And they will eat Europe's lunch.

I'm not happy about Europe's demise, but it will happen, along with ours.

By the way, I know you don't know me, but really, should that matter? I read your blog and I enjoy it very much. Honestly. Surely I disagree with you politically. What's the harm there? There's so much else about your blog and your writings that I like.

Take good care,
Patrick

Anonymous said...

It's too bad even people in other countries fall victim to the media. Just because it is reported in the news doesn't mean that is truly how all American people (voters or not) feel or think. It is the media's take and their use of scare tacits and extremes to sell the news. If you actually talk to the citizens in the USA, the majority do not represent what is being reported. We are not as polarized as we are portrayed. Unfortunately when voting, there isn't an ideal candidate - gotta pick from what is available (and I do vote). And the pendulum swinging back and forth is not the best answer.

I am a US citizen and lived in Scandinavia for a year (The Swedes have Norwegian jokes that are parallel to Polish jokes in the USA). No where is perfect - some places just having a bigger magnifying glass over them.

Leisha Camden said...

To Anon @ 4:56pm: You obviously did not just inform me that the Swedes have a lot of jokes about us Norwegians. Because that would really be too stupid.

Obviously nowhere is perfect - your argument is a straw man since no one claims such a thing. Some places are under closer scrutiny than others - good expression you came up with there, I like it. But adding 'just' to it kind of ruined it. Because yeah, nowhere is perfect, but some places are objectively better than others. 'Just' ruined your otherwise good argument.

Some nations are under closer scrutiny than others, and some brag more than others as well. Americans do often come across as rather boastful - the greatest democracy in the world, etc - but the reality does tend to belie this. So that's another thing to consider. Not being brilliant, or even being dumb, is OK, but gets annoying from someone who claims to be a genius.

the pendulum swinging back and forth is not the best answer - OK, what is the best answer? Give one party the power and just let those guys keep it? Now I know you can't mean what it kind of sounds like you mean ...

Everyone's a victim when it comes to the media ... that's one of the side effects of capitalism. Everything's a business and truth doesn't really sell. So yeah, that's too bad. But I think the kind of attitude you're showing here is rather sad ... the system is how it is and you just have to go with it? If the majority aren't feeling represented, then they need to do something about it. You don't just have to pick from what's available when everything that's available is shit, you can make a concerted effort to bring something less shitty to the table. Just complaining and doing nothing doesn't cut it.

Please note: I'm not putting that on you personally, this is a general observation. I'm totally lazy myself so I'm in a glass house on this one ... but on the other hand I don't complain much either as I'm not a whiny shithead like far too many of my compatriots and I know that things are going pretty good here. But as a general rule, you can't get people to listen to your complaints if complaining is all you do. The Reps and the Dems both suck ass, but just saying so won't change things.

Leisha Camden said...

@ original Anon:

Why resort to personal insults? Oh, please. There are no personal insults in this post. I didn't say that YOU, Patrick, are an idiot, or that my neighbor is an idiot, or that any specific individual is an idiot or a genius or anything whatsoever. There are no personal insults involved here. There is nothing personal, full stop. If you choose to take it personally, that is entirely beyond my control. If you were to say that Norwegians are whale-slaughtering binge-drinking undereducated barbarians, I wouldn't take that personally. It may be true, but I still wouldn't take it personally. It wouldn't be personal. See the difference there?

(I totally support the slaughter of whales, just so that that's said. Mmm ... whales ...)

So, remove the personal, and you're left with why resort to insults? Why not? You say you have read my blog for a while, I have no way of verifying that, but if what you say is correct and I, through the posts you have read here, have given you the impression that I am a nice and polite person here ... then I can only apologize. That is not correct. I'm not sure how I've given you that idea. I have to refer you to the disclaimer again. This is not a place for ... objective presentation of current events, or anything along those lines. I don't have any interest in being fair and balanced here. I have this place first and foremost to vent frustration and ... let's call it mental aggression. If that isn't clear to you, then I must be doing something wrong here. More insults must be needed.

You say that you are grateful for me 'backing off on the American slur' - are you really? I didn't actually back off as such, I just clarified that I didn't mean only Americans, but everyone. Humans. Americans are humans, in fact. ;-) So it absolutely still applies. :-)

Leisha Camden said...

cont.

I have no problem with you 'speaking out', as you call it ... say what you want as long as it isn't illegal. I've found it interesting to read your comments. But if you're thinking that I should or will be polite and objective here, then you are barking up the totally wrong tree. That is NOT what this place is for. Did you see the post where I called a woman whose teenage son is in jail white trash? Or if you want to see some actual personal insults, then read this: http://leishacamden.blogspot.com/2009/10/more-nobel-bitching.html

As for Obama's policies, I've said it before and I'll happily say it again: EVERY American politican on a national level is a right wing nutcase from where I'm standing. People call Obama a socialist - that is so fucked up that I have no words - the guy is to the right of the Progress Party. He's so far to the right that he doesn't figure on the political maps that I use, as a Norwegian/Scandinavian. So no, I don't want to argue his policies ... I think that his policies are screwy. He's a right wing nutcase. BUT:

As far as it goes, and as far as I can tell, it's the policies of the Republican party that first & foremost got you into this mess. The Dems have contributed more and more to it as they have become more and more like the Reps. So wanting more of the same just seems so obviously ridiculous to me. Like cures like? o_O

The real problem is that on the big issues, the ones that really matters, you really only have one party. So you're screwed no matter what you do.

I realize that many Americans are fundamentally opposed to his solutions, as you say ... this to me reads as if they don't want to solve the problems. Again, the old solutions haven't worked, so let's keep trying them? Doesn't make sense and makes people seem stupid. And the other side are screaming so loudly about the crazy bizarroworld they seem to live in that I personally can't really hear whatever solutions they are suggesting (that are supposedly better) over the din.

You keep saying that race doesn't come into it - again, sorry, I'm not buying. Your media is SO MUCH WORSE than ours, and even here people are so stupid and ignorant. (Since you've spent time here you obviously know what huge numbers of fucking idiots I'm surrounded by, right?) Racism is such an integral part of your culture and history (yes, we owned slaves too, but that was a thousand years ago and they were white). I don't believe your claims. For you race may not be a factor, and for many others, but these blanket statements that you're making don't sound at all believable to me. You may 'see no sign or race', but that proves nothing more than that you don't perceive it, ie, nothing. What was that about not everyone being the same and how I shouldn't tar everyone with the same brush ... ? Sorry, that works both ways.

Yeah, sure, GWB had to take a lot of shit too. But what people had with him was to a large extent real beef. He's stupid - yes. His education and career are shit - yes. He dragged you guys into two pointless wars that you couldn't afford and that have only made you and everyone else more unsafe - yes. Fucked up the economy, passed laws that are eroding your civil rights, created a crazy explosion in so-called intelligence that has now resulted in an unmanageable monster ... yes and yes and yes. He got a lot of shit, but he had it coming. But what's the shit that Obama has to take? Part of it is legitimate and useful criticism, yes. But then there's all the other stuff. He's a Muslim, he's a socialist, he wants to create Third Reich death panels to kill your grandma and babies like Trig. I may have missed something, but Obama seems to be getting a hell of a lot more shit that is just shit.

Leisha Camden said...

cont.

The media is just beginning to turn now against him. LOL!! Yes, up until now Glenn Beck and the other guys over at Fox News have been really sweet to him. :-D

Nobel prize, no surprise, to me. And that event proves that almost everyone is a goddamn fucking idiot.

I personally know that you guys will drag a lot with you when you go ... but most people probably don't think much about that. Just like they don't think about the oil almost being gone, the oceans being on the verge of literally dying, the fact that overpopulation is the source of absolutely all of our problems, etc. That's what I keep telling you!! People are dipshit idiot retards!! But you don't need to tell me we're all screwed. I'm sure it's worse than both of us think. I do think you have a bit of an inflated idea of US importance, though. You guys have kept the wolves away for 60 years? What, out of the kindness of your hearts? :-D Don't tell me you think that you guys saved us in WWII as well? If so, then sorry, that was the USSR.

I'm not really worried about Russia, personally. They like us. Did you know that they have a list of 'friendly countries', states that they like and that they consider friends, as these things go among nation states ... ? We're on the top of that list. You may think that you are all that stands between us and them, but please remember that there is an ocean between us and you. If Putin wanted us then he could have his guys in Oslo in probably about four hours. Nothing we could do ... our army's pretty worthless ... and by the time you got off your asses it'd be a fait accompli. (Unless of course with all of the illegal surveillance you've been carrying out here without the knowledge of our authorities and in violation of Norwegian law, you know something we don't.) But he would rather be friends. Aw.

I'm not that worried about China either. The Chinese are a civilized people. There are others who are much less civilized who IMO are a much more immediate threat to western Europe. (No, that is nothing against Americans; that is a slur against Muslims.) And as far as 'Europe's demise' goes ... you kind of lost me with the high falutin' talk of Rome's clarion calls and suchlike ... but all empires fall, nothing lasts forever, that's just how it is. It's natural, nothing to freak out about. We're all screwed anyway, as a species.

I know you don't know me, but really, should that matter? I read your blog and I enjoy it very much. Honestly. Surely I disagree with you politically. What's the harm there? There's so much else about your blog and your writings that I like. Totally a straw man argument and thank you for the compliment.

Furthermore, I believe that Carthage must be destroyed.

Leisha Camden said...

the ones that really matter
no sign of race

Argh ...

Anonymous said...

"...because American voters really do seem to believe that Obama could have fixed all these things you mention in the time that he's had available..."

No. That's not what I think most Americans believe. And that's not why I think they are opposed to him.

"...Who think that the president has superpowers and can fix everything quickly...who don't even know what socialism is. For them, I'm pretty sure that race had a little bit to do with it...you're not really saying that an all white president would have had to take that same shit?..."

If Obama's race was a problem for white Americans he never would have been elected in 2008. The most likely explanation for white Americans turning against Obama just two years later would suggest something other than race.

"Obama hasn't done the job that you all imagined he could do, because the US is getting almost impossible to run."

Yes, the US is getting impossible to run. But Obama's policies are causing people to think he's making things worse.

"Why resort to personal insults? Oh, please. There are no personal insults in this post. I didn't say that YOU, Patrick, are an idiot, or that my neighbor is an idiot, or that any specific individual is an idiot or a genius or anything whatsoever. There are no personal insults involved here. There is nothing personal, full stop"

Granted. I accept you at your word. It's not personal.

"I don't have any interest in being fair and balanced here. I have this place first and foremost to vent frustration and ..."

OK, no problem. I'll keep that in mind.

"But if you're thinking that I should or will be polite and objective here, then you are barking up the totally wrong tree. That is NOT what this place is for."

Again, no problem.

"The real problem is that on the big issues, the ones that really matters, you really only have one party. So you're screwed no matter what you do."

That is also my impression of Norway. That despite Norways six or seven parties, in terms of the big policy issues it essentially collapses to one point of view.

(patrick... continued)

Anonymous said...

"Racism is such an integral part of your culture and history (yes, we owned slaves too, but that was a thousand years ago and they were white). I don't believe your claims. For you race may not be a factor, and for many others, but these blanket statements that you're making don't sound at all believable to me."

I know all about Scandinavians enslaving my ancestors from the Emerald Isle. I hold no ill will. After all, that was many years ago and no one alive in Norway, Denmark or Sweden today is responsible for what they did to my forefathers. I'm fond of the Norwegians and Danes. I'm still a little shaky on the Swedes.

America had a racist past as well, unique in its own way, but not unlike half the nations of the world. Slavery was abolished in America in 1865. Sooner or later you have to cut the past goodbye. Slavery is still practised today in Nigeria, Cameroon, Sudan, India, Pakistan, Dominican Republic, Thailand, and more. We can talk about slavery 150 years ago in America or we can talk about it today.

If you are black, brown, yellow, red or white and are oppressed in your country. America is a wonderful place for you to move to.

"...we're all screwed. I'm sure it's worse than both of us think. I do think you have a bit of an inflated idea of US importance,..."

Not me.

"You guys have kept the wolves away for 60 years? What, out of the kindness of your hearts? :-D"

No, not out of the kindness of our hearts. It was our in our interest. But you benefited enormously.

"Don't tell me you think that you guys saved us in WWII as well? If so, then sorry, that was the USSR."

I wonder what Norway would look like today if the USSR had emerged from WWII as the world superpower rather than the US. Ask the Czechs, the Slovaks, the Lavtians etc. how much they enjoyed life under Soviet domination. Do you really not believe that Western Europe benefited by America's military dominance in the latter part of the 20th century?

"I'm not really worried about Russia, personally. They like us. Did you know that they have a list of 'friendly countries', states that they like and that they consider friends, as these things go among nation states ... ? We're on the top of that list"

There was a Norwegian movie I watched a few years back called Orions belte. It's maybe 30 years old by now. But it was a sad movie displaying the political balance of power between Norway and UssR in the 1980's. It was personal and political. Very sweet. Russia knows the assets Norway has in the North Sea and the Pole. They aren't your friends.

"but all empires fall, nothing lasts forever, that's just how it is. It's natural, nothing to freak out about. We're all screwed anyway, as a species. "

That's true. Despite our disagreements, take good care Leisha Camden.

patrick