Jas,
I am going to chime in here and I usually don't, but the rules are pretty clear EVEN in the off topic forum (Nudibar).
Here is a quote from the site rules:
Politics: This is NOT a site for political conversation. We understand that there are common political issues that people would like to discuss on occasion (ex. Transit Strike, local employment issues, real estate and other legal issues). These topics are permitted in the Off Topic forum (The Nudibar). The moderators will shut down any conversation that goes off course or seems to getting ?too heated?. If you want to talk about politics, there are several thousand other places devoted to this conversation. Use Google.
MR is a community of people - debate, by it's very nature (while healthy) puts people/members at polar opposites - this is not something that MR fosters or will tolerate as community strives to do the polar opposite of debate.
While the topic is indeed interesting and I often too wonder why stuff like this gets air, that's why CNN has discussion boards etc. Like the rules say, if you want that type of debate/dialogue/diatribe etc, take it to another forum.
Sorry, but I am closing this thread as well as I think this is enough on the topic. Hope you're not offended.
House