What does it take to do from being a lame duck to a dead one? Seems to be the verdict that there’s one on Capitol Hill. Dead economically, dead politically. But is Mr President taking the GOP with him? Many have resisted his call for a bail-out of the banks. Many constituents see this as rewarding the rich. While it might save a few friendly skins the rank and file risk their homes, their jobs, their pensions and everything else.
What’s the cost of America’s wars, wars that the US has persuaded many other countries to join on a pernicious divide. First the terrorist bogey, then the economic bogey. Let’s scare people into submission.
So congress men and women are fighting shy, the irony being that Republicans more than Democrats have stalled. The bail-out looks like being necessary, but is that the end of the matter?

Fidel Castro felt that he had to comment on the issue with regard to what is happening in the US back yard. Venezuela, Bolivia, now Equador have had democratic referenda, with the hitherto excluded indigenous, oppressed majorities being involved. The elite don’t like it, the US don’t like it. In the past the US have been prepared to assassinate leaders they don’t like and genocide has been committed affecting particularly the Amerindians.
The talk is of “Democratic Socialism”, and in all three countries so far change has come from the ballot box. Threats of violence come from those defending the status quo, an elite preserving their own interests who seek (and often get) US backing.