Did I say that Bush was the only one to pull this shit? NO. I am aware, for instance, that Franklin Delano Roosevelt (whom I greatly admire despite this) tried to "pack the courts" with politically loyal judges, possibly including (I don't recall) the Supreme Court. The difference is that today's media is letting Bush get away with it.

Please don't bring up Nazi Germany, Communist Russia (or modern Russia for that matter), or any other example of "but THEY are worse!" Do you know why I ask this of you? Because you are lowering America to the standard of genocidal maniacs in order to make yourself look good compared to them. (I am also aware that we have a bit of genocidal history as well.) The point is, we should be comparing ourselves to the BEST examples of government to try to measure up against, not the WORST.

Putin has been wishing to be a dictator for a long time now, and he has been acting on his wish for some time as well. But last I checked, RUSSIA wasn't the country that invaded another coincidentally oil-rich nation based on unsubstantiated claims that turned out to be FALSE. [edit: or, for those who absolutely insist on it, unsubstantiated claims that have utterly failed to prove true, despite a massive search for evidence by the most powerful, tech-savvy, etc. nation in the world with total access to the nation in question.]

One more time, for emphasis: 

Please don't bring up Nazi Germany, Communist Russia (or modern Russia for that matter), or any other example of "but THEY are worse!" Do you know why I ask this of you? Because you are lowering America to the standard of genocidal maniacs in order to make yourself look good compared to them. (I am also aware that we have a bit of genocidal history as well.) The point is, we should be comparing ourselves to the BEST examples of government to try to measure up against, not the WORST.

Frankly, I am insulted by this tactic because, as I said, it compares America to Nazi Germany.  That comparison is an insult to any country that is not actually engaged in genocide. 

A map of supposed corruption from wikipedia.


The USA isnt that corrupt really on par with France and Chile and Japan and stuff

Well if the US didn't support Israel it likely wouldn't be there anymore... and either the situation would be exactly the same but opposite. (The Israelies are now then palastinians.) They would all be kicked out (with many casulaties along the way). Or they'd all be dead.

Also we'd have one less friendly nation in the region. So we'd have... no friendly nations in the region except for a couple that act polite because they like our buisness.

It reminds me of my biggest fault with the government and the UN. The lack of action against genocides. After world war 2 I thought the motto was "Never Again." However instead it's "Just about all the time."

The best the UN ever does is send troops over to observe the massacres with orders to not do anything about it. Cause that's always great. Lets let people be ethnically cleansed AND horribly traumatize people for life.

Now those are places i'd actually like to see "Nation Building" attempted. However it never benefits anyone to ever help these places so they don't get help.

I'd put Zimbabwe at the dark red myself. Dark red is bad right?

@Kasz, the UN does its job just fine and gets a lot of stick that it doesnt deserve.

People seem to think the UN should be able to cure war, world hunger, diesease, poverty and just about everything else imaginable.
Its main role is really as a place where all the worlds leaders can talk about their problems and in that way it seems to work, I think only three countries arent represented at the UN, the Holy See (which has observer status), the Cook Islands and Niue (both represented by NZ) along with more debatable ones such as Taiwan (which is fully independent but never declared it).
Also 'never again' was meant to be about world wars wasnt it? I cant seem to remember any world wars since the UN was formed.

Rath said: A map of supposed corruption from wikipedia. The USA isnt that corrupt really on par with France and Chile and Japan and stuff

I'm not alleging that the US has widespread corruption; I'm alleging that there is corruption and a lot of abuse of power going on in a specific part of the executive branch -- unfortunately, the top of it.

[edit:  and guess what?  In 2000 we were at 7.8 of 10.  Now we're at 7.3.  More is better; Bush made us worse.]  

How many people here get angry just hearing "Bush"?

Well, a total different thing comes to my mind. Not the George guys.

How did I miss this topic? Also, how is that Mexico is not in very very VERY dark red in the map up there?

I wouldn't complain about a totally new governement or union... actually I wouldn't complain if I lived in a totally different country.

I'm sure we can all agree on one threat anyway.

Manbearpig.