In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of Government but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered, and believe farther that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in Despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic Government, being incapable of any other.  - Benjamin Franklin

It scares me to think that this might be true now - as I hope it always isn't.  I pray that our current form of governing bodies stay intact.  However it appears that we are drawing nearer and nearer to a socialist Government.  80% of our two largest home mortgage  companies are now Government owned.  The FDIC now owns large portions of major banks.  Billions of dollars are discussed as the Government attempts to buy larger portions of other failing major banking entities.

Reckless and unchecked financial deregulation has broken the back of America.  John Q Public has known about these problems for some time.  But the ability of John to do something about it has been stripped away by loopholes and a lack of voting ability.  His voice has been lost in a sea of money and a system that is impossible to navigate.

The basic foundation of this Country is shattered to something completely unlike the platform established over 200 years ago.  Greed, ambiguity, and a lack of leadership has stained the luster of our once great Nation.

The failed bail-out only proves how the lack of integrity has seeded itself into our leaders ability to govern themselves.

I fear now that the lessons taught and ignored by the Greatest Generation will be hard-learned and painful for all of us.  We ignored the tried and true ways that made this Country a super-power.

Now I only hope that as our economy crumbles through our fingers that our ability to keep ourselves safe, and our children safe, is not compromised by our lack of integrity.

We didn't need terrorists, or the threat of them, to destroy our Country.  We did it all on our own.