Just the other day, North Korean Grand Poobah Kim Jong Il "led" his subjects in a glorious public rally celebrating the success of the weekend missile launch over the North Pacific.  The fact that the missile didn't perform as well as hoped (or lauded) makes no difference to Kim.  To him, it's all about image and public perception.  His government run programs, whether military like his missiles or his fizzled nuke from several months ago or civilian like his efforts to feed his 23 million starving subjects, are generally complete and utter failures.  No problem - have a success rally anyway!  Get a couple of hundred thousand of the troops and a few pretty girls to parade in the streets cheering and waving and invite the press to publicize the whole affair.

 

Travel half way around the world to Washington D. C.  The leaders of our government - Pelosi, Reid, Dodd, Frank, Clinton and, especially, Obama - lead the cheers from our Congress in rallies put on by our own media to celebrate government programs that are complete and utter failures.  Stimulus package?  No, just a massive Keynesian deficit spending package.  TARP?  I haven't heard of any troubled assets that have been retired lately.  Tax cuts?  Not unless you're poor or the Treasury Secretary.  Us middle class wage earners are going to pay more.  We're the ones who have an income to tax.  Health care?  I can't think of a better way to dramatically and quickly reduce the population of our country than to let the government care for our health.  Just think - flyover red state conservatism might become classified as the newest untreatable disease.  We wouldn't want to waste health care dollars on someone dying of conservatism!

 

Our leaders don't give a rat's patoot about the well being of you and I.  They care about power and control.  Every regulation, every executive order and every law is written for the sole purpose of placing a few more good people under the thumb of our rulers.

 

Does this foreshadow the fall of democracy?  No, we will still democratically elect our rulers - kind of like Cuba.  How about liberty and justice for all?  There I suggect you bid a fond farewell, sayonara, adios, auf wiedersen and ciao.