A main difference between Western governments is variance of tenacity and activity levels of their media. There are plenty of skeletons in Australia's closet but it is very convenient to have rich Uncle Sam (tall poppy) to denigrate and act as a scapegoat for marginally competent and corrupt governments around the world.

One point was made about $driven morons. Money is a major motivator and those who generally deride this concept are likely to be on the bottom end of the economic scale. China's emergence and skyrocketing economy is the result of a general rejection of a philosophy that has been summarily proven to be plausible on paper but a total disaster in reality.

As to the poor being the core voters in the USA -- this is a moot point because few of them make an effort to vote. The only way Democrats can get elected is to mount massive quasi-military operations to transport the lower class to the polls, walk them by the hand to the booth, put a pen in their hand, tell them who they are voting for and then provide them afternoon refreshments on the way home.

How many morons does it take to fly a jet fighter?

Is it possible that morons get elected because the competent ones get paid 50 million a year to run a corporation (and don't get shot at) and the others, not unlike OLO readers are too busy keeping their families afloat to become involved in politics? The last figure I remember, President of the USA was paid $500,000.

Or do they really believe in the institution of public service and wish to make a difference; even if it is a difference that many people do not value.

After all 51% is a majority. Contrary to media reports the recent US election was NOT a landslide, many electorates had a one percent majority, a couple were less than that. To argue the election result was more heavily skewed is a distortion of the facts. Mid term elections often generate this type of vote against the sitting majority.

Prisoners of war do not have a right to trial, are kept imprisoned until hostilities cease. OBL declared war long before 9/11; few choose to remember. A declaration of war = war. IN Vietnam POWs were kept after the war.

Hicks should be tried, since a member of the Taliban government has been released (unbelievable), but not because he has the right to be released as HE IS A PRISONER OF WAR. The complexities of the world seem to have complexity upon complexity with few clear cut right and wrong decisions that world leaders make.

How would things have panned out if Bush "forgave" 9/11 and asked for peace table discussions. 1) who would be invited 2) what would the organisations do that were not a part? 3) would Israel be handed over to whom, by who?

I noted agreement that very few countries have the ability to operate on a global scale, consequently, argument about the relative morality of the US is a weak argument since other countries behaviour can not be monitored, as they do not have the resources.

However, we do know how many mini powers behave, Bosnia, Lebanon, Syria, Mugabe, Iran, North Korea and Tienanmen Square etc.

Hillary & Kennedy voted to attack Iraq, morons as well? I agree it was a mistake -- Iraq as a nation doesn’t deserve the sacrifices.

Mike Carlton’s description of the US -- the best of the best and the worst of the worst.

Iraq broke the treaty / cease fire agreements of Gulf War I, then ignored 16 UN resolutions. Many think this is acceptable or a minor consideration and urge more dialog. When the 17th resolution was ignored, Iraq was invaded with 6 months notice. Forget the 150,000+ gassed to death, as most OLO writers do.

The initial article is irrelevant. US democracy has survived 200 years with more turmoil at different times compared to now; it will survive. The question is juvenile/naive.

Without prevailing America bashers the article could be titled -- Can Democracies Survive Corporations, Can Democracies Survive Uncontrolled Migration or Can Democracy Survive Islamic Extremists.

TRTL “but the fact of the matter was that checks and balances are only as effective as the people enforcing them.”

The devil is in the detail TRTL, from the obscurity of our lounge rooms and the pacific dividing us from the action, what is relayed through the news headlines from USA might be completely different to what happens on the ground, so to speak. Part of a belief in Democracy is a belief that we elect people with like values to ethicacy and honesty.

As Cowboy Joe states “The initial article is irrelevant. US democracy has survived 200 years with more turmoil at different times compared to now; it will survive.”

And British Democracy even longer and the differences between them are profound, yet they are both “democracies”.

RobbyH “Col. Step back. US election doesn't revolve around the President? Get real.”

Tell me, who elects the US Senate, the US Congress?”

Who has power to Impeach a President?

That the machinations of elections to Senate and Congress or for many levels of the judiciary do not get the air-play offered to the carnival of election of the President, means little, in practical terms. US politics is equally dependent upon all the institutions as well as the figure head. Especially when we consider the Vice President is also chairman of the Senate.

Only a Gingoistic moron would presume the practicalities of government of USA revolves only around the Presidential elections and Office, to the exclusion of all other institutions.

The US have a term for it, when the President does not control the Majority in the Congress or Senate, it is “Lame Duck”.

Joe/Col,

No listing of today's countries in Iraq? What a surprise. No info, right?

Re Mr Hicks. What war? Do you mean the US invasion of Afghanistan? Never was a war, it's an invasion. As such even Howard now admits it is "wrong" to keep him in Guantanamo. Keep up with it Joe/Col.

Col jingoistic has a J not a G. Perhaps you were thinking of Geckos. Or some other BS, as usual.

Robby enthusiastically fumes about American arrogance.

Unthinkingly, he then arrogantly dismisses the contribution of numerous smaller nations. I do not think these countries would consider their contributions insignificant but conversely a sacrifice -- financially, politically and emotionally. The Ugly Australian surfaces.

Authoritative Robby possesses a very rare intellectual capacity ie the ability to arbitrarily assess the worth of each nation's contribution from the comfort and safety of his home.

The family of the Polish soldier killed in battle deserves to be incensed about Robby's arrogant assertions.

The derogatory & insensitive dismissal of each Nation's contributions unmasks his elitist, bigoted and hypocritical nature.

Female caller to Sydney talk back radio circa 1999.

She said, "Women create reality with words and men describe reality with words, but always remember that SOME men think like women".

I nearly drove off the road a cognitive light bulb exploded in my brain, finally, an explanation for the RobbyHers of the world!

Robby has also taken a page out of the Israel/Arab conflict ie begin to count repetitive grievances & violent acts at some arbitrary date that lends credence to your own point of view.

I repeat a declared war is a war. OBL, on behalf of the militaristic Islamists, declared war on Western democracies, it was broadcast on Al Jazeera TV long before the war in Afghanistan. I saw it myself.

My history teachers taught that a war is not a war unless it has been declared, that is right, a simple statement is the difference between a war and a non-war. Why wasn't OBL's declaration big news? Because the progressives who dominate media outlets were unable to compute the critical significance of the event.

RobbyH should throw away his bias and come clean by declaring war on common sense and those who have the ability to describe reality.