George, we're all nice guys and gals here, you included.  I enjoyed debating you and Scott on the political forum you used to have.  But I also have pretty strong political views.  Maybe it's because I've been single and unattached with no kids most of my adult life that I have time to ponder this stuff, but I've actually put some thought into how things should be run.  So when I see folks come forth with political opinions that don't appear to have been formed with much introspection-- whether that be populist railing about Wall Street and the rich from the left, or right-wing blanket generalizations about the poor being lazy bums who don't do their fair share, I'm going to object strongly and it might not seem like I am such a nice guy, but I really still am.  I oppose the ideas, not the man.

What we need to do is quit blaiming Obama, Congress, Wall Street, the greedy rich, the lazy poor, and get back to basics, which are things like self-improvement, good citizenship, kindness and charity toward others, honest dealing, personal integrity, respect for high level of skill and knowledge, and so forth.  The damage has already been done, and both the left and the right are to blame, but mainly it is the American People who are to blame.  The culture has deteriorated-- we have become crude, selfish, and intellectually lazy in this country.  We need to turn off the TV, quit the drugs and alcohol and all of our other favorite distractions from reality, drop our silly prejudices against people who are not like us, open our eyes to the true state of the world-- which isn't that good at the moment-- and take a good hard look at ourselves if we want to compete again and raise our standing in the world.