You sir are a twisted, maniacal, iron-fisted, despot of the highest order. I salute you.

Why thank ye squire.

Another country that barely rates a mention in the corruption stakes is The Vatican, a state of just 0.2 sq miles, and I reckon there has to be corruption coming out of the woodwork there.  For a start, a lot of garlic is consumed there, so that has to put it very high up on the list, not to mention all the wine consumed during various church do's and the like.

I mean, c'mon, we all know that wine has the ability to make people behave badly after downing a glass or three, so that has to be taken into consideration as you evaluate the effect of going to confession, saying 3 hail Mary's and coming out absolved to start all over again.  In fact, If I can't get a Papal inquiry into all this, I'm gonna see if I could borrow a bit to bolster my chances of taking out an award at the Mocca's (Medal of Ceaseless Corruption Awards) in 2011.

Better hurry. I hear supplies are limited to politicians, lawyers and wannabe despots only. Try the brown nose tactic, they love people who kiss up to them. And while you're down there light the fuse on one of the mini nukes you found under the porch next to the cabbage patch and stuff it up his/her rear end then run like hell.

I don't know where the US is ranked on dumbest nation, but I would guess that it is quite high. What people put back into power those who got the nation in such c r a p as it is now in the first place? A second chance to really screw things up? The right-wing voters are the easiest to manipulate, just say "tax cuts". These tax cuts are one of the factors bankrupting America now. Anyone who continues to defend the right-wing on these "policies" doesn't have a valid opinion, they're just greedy and stupid and no different than libertopians. I really got a laugh when I heard one politician proclaim that America already had the world's best health care. Yeah, the best money can buy and that is the problem when very few can afford it.

People with a different view than yours, on what is good for themselves, are not dumb scharchuk.

I think it has been proven more time that not that the person holding themselves out as the 'ruler or yard stick' most of the times don't measure up.  By the way, everyone's opinion is valid.

As long as we have a two party political system there are bound to be different opinions.  Heaven forbid if we had more than two policital parties, not a damn thing would ever change or get done.

Oh, this is just my opinion, valid as anyone's. 

As it turns out if that were only true. America has one of the lowest quality of life in the West (Notice I didn't say standard. You can have a high standard and still have a low quality of life.) The low quality of life primarily affects your children in your educational and health systems. You're a joke in these areas. You're paying for your shortsightedness and greed right now. So, it is not just my view, or opinion since it is based on facts. Opinions are only valid when based on facts. I didn't say you couldn't have an opinion, just that you don't have a right to a valid one. You have to earn it. The right-wing only uses distortions, and outright lies to manipulate you to give then what they want. Your way of thinking may have had same validity a century or 2 ago, but not it is long outlived that. It doesn't work in the real world anymore. That is why you're on such a steady decline even with the best efforts that Obama and his people can to to save you all from becoming even more of a third world nation.

Libertarianism makes you stupid.

http://www.sethf.com/essays/major/libstupid.php

And to continuously support these right-wing policies that have consistently done nothing other than fail for the vast majority of citizen in favor a tiny minority is not just stupid, it is criminally retarded. You can't really say anything pro-right-wing polices without coming off as a complete and utter moron. This is not up for discussion. keep talking and proving my point as real.

Yeah, America.

So, the Earth is flat? That's the opinion of the flat Earth Society now. (They still exist). If all opinions are suppose to be valid.

We have a five party system. Works just fine. Your system is a republic (Yes, it is) while ours is a democracy,

Hardly.

So in Canada (I checked) where you are, who's opinion is correct?

 So scharchuk you are basically saying the most rich, powerful and influential society in human history has no idea what they are doing. Well that's your opinion ... Oh wait maybe the earth is flat.

And to say that Philly does not have a valid opinion is just BS. What are you the pope. 

For the most in the West as well.

Not anymore. Money can not buy true happiness no matter had many lies you've been told. You don't realize just how close you truly are to the edge. Reagan/Bush (Sr./Jr.) have really screwed you into a deep hole. I mean it. So deep your great grand-kids couldn't get out of it.

(BTW, remember Rome? They rotted from within from the same arrogance that you are showing.)

If it is based on actual facts and not manipulated ones then sure his opinion would be valid, but from the post 30 years of history it will should the it is invalid.

Is it your opinion that the pope is flawless? What's your proof? Everyone is entitled to have their own opinion, no one is entitled to be correct. You have to earn it. As we all know the right-wing propaganda of the last 30 years has tried to hide, or distort, the truth that is showing itself all too well now. I feel sorry for what is about to happen to America by its own hand........

Huh?

In your opinion.

No, sadly, this is not an opinion but soon to be brutal reality.

I'm going to stop now since it is perfectly clear that you're not really interested in the good of your nation, but only in your own good at the expense of all. You can continue on, but this will only brand you as a fool. You have my sympathy.

Libertarianism Makes you Stupid;

http://www.sethf.com/essays/major/libstupid.php

    I laugh at your brutal reality.

Yeah, but scharchuk does have a point.  Personally, I think the US has gone soft in its old age and it needs to reclaim top dog position in the corruption stakes again.  Hmmm, maybe it could do with a personal trainer???   Kim Jong-il of North Koreas is probably too old to fill the position, despite having the right credentials and all the qualifications.  That Iranian bloke would probably fit the bill, but he's so corrupt he'd likely lead the US in the wrong direction to claim top dog for himself. 

Then there's bin Laden.... but he has a price on his head and would be incarcerated before passing on any useful knowledge.  And we all know he's not the most co-operative bastard to begin with.

That leaves.... ME!  I'd do it for a price, but I'd have to insist on certain ground rules before imparting any great insights. 

Rule 1: reverting to the Oxford dictionary and replacing the incorrectly used Z's for S's and putting U's back where they belong.

Rule 2: driving on the correct side of the road... that being the left.

Rule 3: when all else fails, refer to rules 1 and 2.

     A rose by any other name is still a rose. A nation in decline is just that. The effects of November 2009 are still being felt. 'Bank of America' is foreclosing on 400 some odd thousand homes in 23 states. That many more without a home. Granted most bit off more than they could chew but ...... loans were easy to get, The banks handed them out at pretty good rates then came the recession and the banks had to 'pay up' as it were and the money wasn't there. So now they're going after all those who can't keep up the payments for whatever reason to recoup their losses. Those two big mortgage houses went belly up and took the whole damn world with them. Those two big mortgage houses live on Wall Street in the good ole' US of A. American companies screwed it up for everyone. It so happens that most of what they did to get where they were prior to the fall was done during the Bush administration, Jr. not Sr.

     So, in some respects Sharchuk's point is valid while in others it is not. Philly0381 voiced his opinion as is everyone's right according to the first amendment or was it the fourth, Anyway ... the right to speak freely and say what's on your mind, valid or otherwise. You have a right to voice your opinion. Everyone has. No one person can deny them that. So, for the record, both opinions are valid, to each person. They need not agree. There is evidence to support both views and you can find that in the news. Every day.

     A tiny glimpse. Health care is a joke. Affordable housing is a joke, Social Security is a joke, The government is a joke too. That's not all they have in common either. This too ...... none of them work! My two cents. 

ad spot to be Philly ... You posted as I was writing mine. Oops!