A democratic republic is a form of government that depends on a rational citizenry capable of compromise and navigating gray areas. Those days may be gone for the USA. That is why I stay clear of partisan political posts on Facebook. No matter what the political position, I can see kernels of truth and intrinsic flaws in all of them, or at least the roots of their origin and what they are a reaction against. I gave up a long time ago trying to instigate any serious political dialogue on Facebook. It isn't going to happen, as it will require too many words in a row to contemplate for a population with an average attention span of 12 seconds.

Hey, I am not complaining. I was born and came of age at the very pinnacle of USA power and dominance as an empire. Empires come and go, bloom, fruit, and rot regularly in human history. I believe technology just speeds up the process. Thousand-year empires may be a phenomenon of the past. A couple of hundred years might be all the mileage we get these days. Culture and societies get fat and sloppy and eventually die of their own success as they de-evolve. DEVO actually had a serious message behind their musical parody.

But, please, don't be concerned for my welfare. I will be dead before it gets too bad. My astral planning has been perfect. Happy 4th! Carry on, meme warriors!