Then, Little Hawk, I'd say we're pretty much in agreement.

From what I've seen and read of the folks in the Coffee Party (a very informal group of intelligent, educated, and concerned citizens--not a "political party" as such, but there are a lot of them, and they're growing in numbers), I find I am a lot more optimistic than I have been in awhile.

Among other things, they're looking at other historically peaceful countries around the world where there is not that ridiculously huge a spread between the wealthy and the not-so-wealthy, with good, working social programs, and with a populace that is happy and contented (and there are a fair number of them, so it's not some idealistic but impossible dream) to see how they manage it.

As Bobert says, "It ain't rocket surgery."

Don Firth