They don't call Afghanistan 'The Graveyard of Empires' for nothing Peter.

Herring, I had high hopes as a teen during the VN war and the Nixon administration that the Revolution was just around the corner. I know better now. I had hopes for Carter, Clinton, and Obama. They all accomplished some good stuff and maybe that's the best we can hope for. I really and honestly don't mean that cynically. I mean it hopefully. The corporate structure of America calls the shots, and our long traditional history of religious conservatism and jingoism causes many Americans to buy into fear and ignorance. Small incremental steps toward civil rights, health care, gay rights, etc; are worth fighting for, even if we don't topple the money interests for a thousand years.

Ron Paul has it easy. A long-term seat in Congress from which to expound his (I think) rather confused philosophy. If he were elected and had to produce I think you'd see a guy as ineffectual as Jimmy Carter and as prickly as both George Bushes.

You asked my opinion. There it is.