[Purrybonker]

I just wanna come over there and hug you, my liberal, liberal friend.

Yeah, the world is goin' to hell in a hand basket. Thats exactly why the great nations on this earth like NUMERO UNO - the US have to show leadership now more than ever.

The US has all the economic, cultural and military marbles - it has a wonderful opportunity to be a real world leader and example in the things that count in the long term.

Like:

(1) Start loosening up on foreign trade policy - give those third world countries a chance to get a few economic marbles of their own. Trade embargoes/punishing duties on things like rugs from Pakistan or huge subsidies to farmers that stop third world producers from being able to compete do nothing but guarantee that the third world remains the third world. And nothing encourages dictators and religious zealots like a third world economic environment.

(2) Take a leadership role in reigning in polution. Hell, hundreds of countries have ratified the Kyoto Accord on greenhouse gases - even Russia (like they can afford it) is thinking about it. Yet the US says no - the cost is too high. If the richest amongst us refuse to do anything about pollution who will?

(3) Stop slapping people and nations around because their politics or activities don't align with the best interests of the US. Tyrants and zealots will all fall by the wayside in due course. The obvious recent lessons of Iran, Syria, USSR, Lybia et al show us that. Give people economic hope and information and the dictators will soon disappear. Violence just perpetuates the cycle of violence.