Puzzle me this! If we , as a country, are as strong, as great,

[yy4me]

as powerful and as rich as all the minds in Washington tell us we are, why are we so stupid as to find ourselves in the mess we're in.

Why do American children go to bed hungry? Why do our fellow citizens die for lack of health insurance? Why do so many work so hard, only to find themselves in debt up to the point of no return while the next guy is in the lap of luxury with his profits from selling sub-prime mortgages.

Why is almost everyone in political office wealthy?
Do any of you really know how to juggle a juggle a paycheck.

Why do we not support ourselves instead of sending our national treasure all over the world?

Why for a million different things but the biggest puzzle of all:

Why in the name of all that is sane, why do we still have this administration in office?

[gateley]

1. Because this administration IS still in office.

I honestly don't understand it either.

[Echo In Light]

2. Brainwashed populace

[baldguy]

3. First world economy & military

Third world education system.

[Blarch]

4. They are still in power because...

there is only one party, the Money Party. It has two wings, the Dems and the Repubs. It ensures that their party is always in power.

[onethatcares]

6. amen to that, and you'll never see one of those

elected representatives of the people go hungry, or give up the perks. The lie starts in grade school and by the time some of us figure it out, it's way too late to do anything about it. Protesting don't work, voting sure as hell doesn't work, quitting and going elsewhere isn't gonna work. It's a matter of survival for most of us, endless fucking monotony and too short vacations.

[nancyr]

7. I have to agree.

They stage these elaborate games every few years to allow us to pretend that we have a choice in the matter. Past experience tells me that it's all a show put on for our benefit. While we get all bent out of shape arguing about the candidates they just keep rolling merrily along doing whatever they damn well please. Probably Cheney's remark, "SO?" sums it all up when it comes to how we're really thought of by the parasites in power. Regardless of party.

[bronxiteforever]

5. Dumbing down of America and the temptation of empire

good questions.