[Mr 5 0]

Originally posted by Mach 1 :

There's very many democratic countrys out there. What am I missing? How many dictatorships are left in the world today?

You're missing a lot so apparently you are either not as well-traveled as you believe or you are simply not very observant.

Dictatorships abound all over the world. Here are just some off the top of my head:

China, North Korea, Burma, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Cuba, Paraguay, Yeman, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Egypt, Colombia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, to name just a few. China, alone, is a brutal communist dictatorship of over one billion people, almost one-eighth of the world's total population. Surprised that you didn't notice, world traveler that you are. Add in the populations of the countries I listed (I left a few out, especially in Africa) and you proably have around a quarter of the world's people under some dictator, king or self-styled 'strongman' rule.

And what great benefit do we get from these great political freedoms? Vote for another crooked politician to replace the last one. Of course the idea is awesome, but the size of our govt., the fraud, waste and abuse of our tax dollars isnt going to change easily and probably never will. I just would like to see the wasted billions being put to good use, and I dont think thats unfair or too much to ask.

No, it isn't but your hyper-cynicism toward our government and it's manifest freedoms - including your constitutional right to criticize it here on the internet - is unwarranted. Not many Americans think they are oppressed or denied much by government and most expect even more, which is part of the problem, because, as President Reagan once said: "the government that is big enougfh to give you everything you want is also big enough to take it all away".

I had no idea that so many countries were so oppressive to thier people and limited thier potential. Shocking really. Just didnt see that in my travels. Our large size presents opportunities to the professional immigrants.

I've already addressed your woeful lack of knowlege regarding dictatorships around the world. Feel free to read the list again if necessary.

What about all the illegal ones that get a free ride? Not to mention the terrorists who come here and stay with their outdated, illegal visa or passports. No wonder they come, easy to get in, and lots of jobs to take from americans who now have less opportunity.

I agree that illegal immigration and our porous borders are a real threat to our national economy and our national security. Even so, that fact doesn't make American government the disaster you have tried to portray here.

Instead of importing doctors and engineers, why dont we take some of the wasted trillions and train our own people to do these jobs?

We (America) import doctors and engineers because they are in short supply here. Both academic disciplines are very difficult and too many America college students either can't do the work or don't want to. It's so much easier to wallow in 'Feminist studies' and 'Black History' than to do the work that results in solid grasp of science and math, necerssary to obtain a medical degree or an engineering certification. Schools that teach people how to become doctors and engineers exist and always have but applicants either don't meet the rigorious standards necessary to qualify for a spot or would-be students do not apply. Film school is so much more attractive, as are 'communications' and 'art' degrees. Hence: we import doctors and engineers or medical and engineering students, in most cases.

Our country is losing its identity. Have you been out of New England recently?

Yes and yes but xenophobia will get you nowhere these days. Don't even go there.