McGrath: I agree with you about what the debate between "Left" and "Right" should be. But it just ain't so. People in the United States get passionate about gun control, abortion, gay marriage, marijuana, the Pledge of Allegance and the like. Rural types vote Republican, the cities go overwhelmingly Democratic. Economic issues are definitely second line stuff. Nobody much (except me) seems to care about them. And so far as I can make out, you English are the same. But on that I'm subject to correction.

And if you will excuse the personal note, the last time I noticed you being excited about a U.S. domestic issue, it was about the arrest of an Irish Traveller and her right vel non to keep her children - that is, a lifestyle issue, not an economic one.

My impression of Michael Moore's point of view was not that gun control was the central problem, but an overemphasis on crime, especially crimes committed by Black persons, in the news. He did remark that Canadians seemed to have about the same amount of guns as Americans, but far fewer gun killings. I'm not sure I'm persuaded, but it is an interesting point.

I know Canada definitely restrains reporting w.r.t. pending criminal actions, ostensibly to prevent prejudicing juries. Is it true that crimes get less television play in Canada than in the U.S.?