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America’s new grassroots movement – the Tea Party – shows the nations best and worst characteristics at the same time.

It is a good sign of a healthy democracy that "normal" people rally around an issue and start their own political movement. That is a good thing.

It is a bad sign when a political agenda is mostly driven by racism, hate and ignorance – and the money of companies.

Almost all Tea Party members are white, over 40 and Republicans. Not much diversity there. And they also lack answers: so far the Tea Party hasn’t formulated what they stand for – only what they are against. The usual patriotic rubbish like "Freedom" and "lower Taxes" are not political programs – you have to formulate in detail how you want to achieve these things, not just scream and shout against your political opponents!

Political rallies of the Tea Party have been supported by Pharma Companies to oppose the Health Care Reform. And they were also hugely supported by Fox News. That is a bad thing.

It is so ironic that Tea Party Members rally against the Washington Elite and their Lobbyist Masters while they themselves are slaves to the very same system.

Click image for a bigger bus.

Her book – fake – she had a Ghost Writer.

Her Rogue Bus – fake – she uses a private Jet.

Her concern for Alaska – fake – she quit her job.

Her connection to her fans – fake – she leaves them standing in the rain.

The Saga of three great brothers finally ended with Ted Kennedy’s death.  Normally I am not a fan of political dynasties, but the Kennedys were a unique bunch. But I guess that era is now over …

Wikipedia: 35th G8 Summit

Another G8, another round of promises, great commitments and speeches ("Hello Mr Obama!") – and the same pomp. Obviously politicians love to talk and present themselves in a good light …

But all the talk is cheap. Most countries don’t live up to their promises and commitments. Africa still waits for all the money it was promised the last time it was the focus of the G8. Some rich nations like Italy failed miserably to hand over aid.

For poor nations the unpredictable trickle of help is counterproductive. How you organize a campaign in your own country if you don’t know if the foreign money will be there on time and as much as it was promised?

Rich nations demand accountability from poorer nations how the aid is used. But they themselves are often unreliable.

BBC News: MPs’ expenses in detail, Speaker quits ‘for sake of unity’ and A guide to what the expenses furore is all about 

British Members of Parliament have abused an all to willing expenses system to enhance their wages. In recent weeks more and more of the abuses have come to light and all big parties tried to come clean … somehow.

Now the more or less honourable Speaker of the House was forced to resign, because he was head of the expenses system and (ab-)used it as well. He was hardly the most serious offender …

Once again it shows that politicians can’t "oversee" themselves. Even reasonable checks and balances don’t work if it’s done by people within or to close to the "system" they should control.

Citizens and the Press are required to stick their noses into the affairs of the so called elites. There is no system that can make it all perfect, sooner or later loopholes are found or installed.

People in power have to be watched. Not because they are all bad, but because power and money are always too tempting for some. But most important: it’s the job of the voters to watch those they voted into power.

Democracy is not a nice automatic process – it’s constant work for all. Only an active electorate guarantees "clean politics".

In Britain there will be a big ruckus, some changes, some ghastly figures will disappear (and reappear in other positions).

These soldiers should defend their country and shoot any arriving politician as soon as he sticks his or her nose out of the plane. After that they should finish the job by sending the local bigwig to heaven too.

How many "great leaders" do we really need?

Plus BBC News: Leaders welcome G20 action plan

It is amazing to see how all these leaders from almost all leading nations are failing. It’s not just failure. They are making things worse. They just throw more and more public money they don’t have at huge corporations without a long term plan or strings attached.

Neither the bankers nor the Auto industry have to follow any rules, pay a "price" or "change" in any way to get the money. The same people that have failed their companies, stockholders and the markets are still in command in most of these greedy enterprises.

Why not let these companies goes bankrupt and let proper bankruptcy laws and management take over and get rid of these failed companies?

Otherwise they will be back in six or twelve months asking again for more money. And these bailouts are unfair. There are companies that haven’t failed. They are punished and have to deal with hugely subsidized competitors in the future.

Neither the "free markets" work nor does the "nanny state".

And we all have to watch the all these managers and politicians fail us again and again.

BBC News:  A ‘George Washington’ for Europe

Starting next year the European Union will get it’s first “head honcho” – some sort of President of the European Councils who resides over our endless squabbles about milk quotes and that the Poles are unthankful bastards.

Too be honest I don’t thing we need a “permanent” el Presidente – I think that rotating chairman worked pretty well by not giving anyone a lot of power for only six months.

Most of all I despise the mere chance of Tony Blair or maybe later Berlusconi speaking for all of Europe. Yuck! Plus this President will be elected by other politicians – and not by us mere mortal (Europeans).

I would rather have some real monarch getting a ceremonial job to bring the people of Europe together (I hereby nominate Price Charles for the job, because he will never be King, but he is extremely wacky and therefore well suited for the job). But another super-politician on top other head of states is usually a bad idea.

More politicians just breed more politics, but not solutions. Doesn’t matter if it’s the EU or any other place in the world.