But those same traits can be attributed to all of the religions of the time too...oh yeah, those founding this country were very religious weren't they?

>Tracy;
>
>We must remember the principles upon which this country was founded. Traitors, lack of loyalty, and malcontents, come to mind. Add prejudice as anyone who has been “different” was to be viewed with suspicion.
>
>While LBJ was President he would display that long hound dog like expression when he wanted to convince congress to pass a bill by stating, “President Kennedy would have wanted this”! During the 1970’s one of the favorite expressions of the Supreme Court was, “Our founding fathers would have wanted this”! Hmmm. Continually I asked myself, “How do they know? Look at the facts – we still had slavery and the Court said what”?
>
>Contrary to the opinion of many, the President in office does have a great deal of power and control. He can shape the way the world views us as well as the economy. He can control other nations as well. The problem with our form of democracy is that it is too dependent upon the vision of one man. If that man is strong then chances are he will get his way for better or worse. If he is weak then we will enjoy a different fate.
>
>Trying to keep up with the changes of administrations over a period of time is interesting. Look over the history of the nation to see what I mean. Do so with an eye towards each president and his administration. You will see how the nation has evolved.
>
>It is amazing how George W. has destroyed many of the good relationships and treaties that took decades to create and nurture. A bull in a China shop would do less damage. Belligerence, ignorance, deceit and power are not a good combination in the hands of the present Administration. Had George W. been the first president of the United States rather than that other George W. guy, we would not have had a second president!
>
>Like my mother says about this country when she gets fed up, “Give it back to the Indians”!
>
>Tom
>
>>Your post reminds me of our forefathers Dragan. If only the public would remember on what principles the U.S. was founded to begin with. I believe our first leaders would shudder to think of current government actions! We typically have 3 parties: the Democrats - who want more control of the people through government, the Libertarians - who want no government or government control, and the Republicans - who want total control, not by the government but for the few 'special ones' over the many. Those are the voters. Then there are the sane ones who don't bother to vote. And yet we complain because 20% of the French voted communist in their last election! Sheesh! Sometimes it's difficult to remember what country I am living in because it does not resemble the one I was born in anylonger...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>>>>Disclaimer:
>>>>>>>- I do not smoke.
>>>>>>>- I am a United States citizen
>>>>>>>- I am a Roman Catholic
>>>>>>>Any of these reasons may render my post irrelevant.
>>>>>
>>>>>IMO, these are all your private matters and have nothing to do with the relevance of what you say. I've stated my version of the above, just to notify the (probable) originator of this thread that if he wants to find someting wrong in my message, he can just go for easy stuff right away, without getting too deep.
>>>>>
>>>>>>We may be in the same boat but it seems the personal reasons do not matter. Could it be that something is wrong with the activity and deeds of the Administration?
>>>>>
>>>>>Worse - it could be that a couple of things are right, but nobody knows which ones.
>>>>
>>>>Dragan;
>>>>
>>>>I am not sure if I have offended you but that was certainly not my intent!
>>>
>>>No, you have not offended me at all. See explanation below.
>>>
>>>>One of my points was to join you and indicate that even though we may have ?different flavors of disclaimers?, we have similar feelings on this topic. Now why would two individuals with different backgrounds and belief systems feel the same on such an issue?
>>>>
>>>>To me it is not ironic that we feel the same on this issue. It does bother me that people will justify what the United States did based upon emotion, ignorance and flag waving. These are the ingredients for international disaster.
>>>
>>>The worse thing I mentioned (that this.administration may even have done a couple of things right, but nobody can point them out) is exactly that disaster ingredient.
>>>
>>>It's horrifying that after I left my country in clutches of Milosevic regime I came here to see such a regime being rebuilt on a large scale. The list of similarities is simply (speaking Serbian) "freezing the shi* in my bu*t". Whatever Sloba did, repeats here: inventing wars, rigging the elections, controlling media, masterminding the division of the opposition, spying on everyone, creating contradictory laws, revoking freedoms and liberties, creating ambiguous laws prone to interpretation, creating laws where anyone can be found guilty of something if need be, creating virtual reality of public speech which has very little to do with reality, lifting money from social security funds, increasing public debt, manipulating the currency and taxing everyone through inflation, rigging the laws so few of the families on top would get rich on expense of everybody else, having a gang of prez's friends in all important chairs, inventing new wars to hide the disaster the previous ones have
>>>been, dividing citizens into patriots and traitors... I've seen all that at home. And there's no way I'll like seeing it repeat here.
>>>
>>>To me, it is ironic, simply because I can stand a lot more irony. Been through worse, and we already have that trait in our mentality, to enjoy Galgenhumor.