Reply #119: I don't think we are. The echo chambers of political discussions may lead one to think

[pinto]

there's some imminent fracture in our civil life. Not so, imo. My take is that the broad apolitical majority of Americans want some measure of stability, responsiveness and effectiveness from the federal government. It's a simple and reasonable desire. Most Americans, imo, don't live in fear of a terrorist attack - though the 24/7 cable talking heads seem to wish it so, as does the Bush Administration. We largely live in the hope that the kids get a good education, that there's money for retirement, that the doctor bills don't overwhelm our plans, that the car doesn't break down and the electric bill gets paid. Day to day life is reality, in many ways, more than any political spin meister would have you believe.

The failure of the Bush crony leadership at FEMA during the Katrina disaster is a good case in point. This is exactly what we pay the fed's for, and they dropped the ball.

The Iraq debate will go on long after we leave, but I think the hometown perception is that's it's an ugly, costly fiasco, in human lives and federal dollars.

Civil war? Nah. Not even close. Were you around for the civil rights actions, the big city riots or the VietNam war upheavals? We lived through it all, despite the media spin of a nation irreconcilably divided.

That said, Americans *are* looking at reigning in this Unitary Executive sham and it's Republican sycophants - we know better. This election's apt to be big shift, no doubt about it. And that, imo, is why our system - flawed as it may be - still works.