Only 25 years ago America was ascendant (Reagan era). The Wall was down, truth was valued, a fictitious 'peace dividend" was spent (though not yet even earned; thanks, Bill Clinton!). "The Great Evil" had been defeated. A few years later G.H.W Bush led an eye-blink war slapping down Hussein. America still on top. So while this slide to demonic infatuation can be traced rightly back to Bolshevik days, the real growth spurt is recent - starting with the anti-morality decline of Bill Clinton.

Only twenty years.

And while I can understand full well the discouragement and fatalistic outlook many have - I have at times - this is silliness. Reagan was elected and pundits said there would never again be a Democrat President - their time was over. Clinton benefited from a booming economy and pundits said the same thing about Republicans. Obama and people said the GOP was toast. Real estate will never go down ... or never recover.

None of these ends up true. And I have little confidence our country is doomed, though it certainly looks bleak at the moment.