In response to all you one-party system theorists that Ake mentioned let me point out that if Gore had been elected (well,inaugurated)we in all likelihood would not have had, among other things:

This Iraq debacle
A lopsided Supreme Court
A justice system loaded with with conservative Bush/Rove appointed judges and prosecutors
An administration that will barely even pay lip service to the crushing environmental problems this world is facing.

I'd certainly like to see a more progressive leader in there but, no, it is not all one thing. vl