Frank, where did I say this is a liberal/conservative issue? I don't think it is at all, and I think you might be surprised at how conservative some of my views are.

As something of an "outsider" here (ie not American, like Raoul and to some extent Tony even though he lives there) I think I have a somewhat less biassed view of things than some "insiders" - not naming any names. Maybe my view isn't perfect, but at least I have neither a Democratic nor Republican membership card (real or virtual) in my wallet.

I see the American public (and I've seen it with real, good American citizens in my own living room) being misled by the curent administration. Not saying anythnig about previous administrations, good or bad, but this is the one in power just now, and it's dangerous, in my considered opinion... dangerous to American freedom, to world peace, to international realtions. Your attitude is indicative of one of the mind sets that is going along with things. (the other being, like my friends, that "our leaders must know what is best for us, even if we can't see it ourselves" - equally unfortunate).

Also unfortunate, IMO, is the attitude that the opinion of anyone outside the US has no value. More Americans need to get out in the rest of the world.

And I certainly never called anyone here an ass-hole, but since you prefer to be thought of as that....