Why does America's election matter?

For decades now, America has been sort of the insurance agency that the rest of the world can count on that, basically, some thug can't hack your arms off if you disagree.

If we can't make sure that happens in your country, you can at least count on us to try and make sure that doesn't happen.

Well ... that kind of guarantee doesn't come automatically. It takes conviction -- it takes muscle -- and it takes evolution.

We here in America know we're still adolescents on the world stage. We HAVEN'T learned the lessons of Machiavelli, Adam Smith, Rousseau, and the rest. The whole POINT of our country is we ARE adolescents on the learning curve.

By and large, we've tried to do the right thing. Of course, we don't, all the time. But all the while, we've tried to keep the over-riding principle in mind:

WE WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

And that principle, even in this election, in the climate of insecurity, guides us.

Will we do the right thing? In days of yore, I would have said yes, absolutely, we'll fix the immediate problem and deal with the fallout ASAP. But now? We're experiencing a crisis of confidence.

I would like to tell all of any readers that yes, ALL Americans will stand behind you, if you choose the right path for your particular situation. Do you live in India? We will stand behind democratic elections. Give us the names of your candidates, and we will research them, and give you our advice. But we will encourage you to be aware that certain paths lead to certain ends, democracy-wise.

But history, and current politics, are more complicated. Americans do NOT want to be associated, any more, with "nation building." (Give me a @#$ break.)

What we want is everyone working together.

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*Sigh*

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~paraphrasing from The Police~ .... ~Sending Out An SOS~