I wonder what some of the similarities might be? Cross-border adventures (Afghanistan and Iraq) and the economic turmoil here, to be sure. However there is as of yet, no unrest in the streets, and our press and nongovernment institutions (the think tanks and the scholarly journals) are busy out there in the open savaging the current administration. And of course, there's one thing that the Soviets (and Russians as well for that matter) didn't have going for them: free, mostly fair, and mostly open elections.

Don't discount the extra measure of patriotism an election (one that you can mostly believe in) can engender. One startling fact it took me ages to realize is that, the presidential election is special. Other than all-out war, this is the only act which engulfs the entire nation, and we get to do it together every four years.

I sat at a large family dinner party last night after posting this, and witnessed this first hand - some chianti, some good food (shrimp, lobster, delmonico steaks, salads, pasta, and more - a feast! And afterwards the grappa.) Guess what the dinner talk was about? Informally, the poll ran Obama: 12, McCain: 2.

So I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for next US revolution.

"It Can't Be Just About Us"
--Frank Schnittger, ETian Extraordinaire