This is a real sore point with me and a lot of other people I know here. For 8 years under the Clinton Administration, the country was headed in the right direction with massive closures of old military bases, and cuts in unecessary military spending. And the Clintons did everything they could to try to get a decent health care system created. Although they failed in that regard, it was not for lack of trying, nor did it have anything to do with military spending.
Unfortunately, when Bush took office, things went in the other direction, and this has created a lot of problems, which, IMHO, we have seen little of the results of so far, since loose monetary policy has successfully covered up a lot of mistakes, which will surface have to be paid for at some time in the future.
I just recently saw the film, "An Inconvenient Truth" with Al Gore. This is a brave and startling film, which I urge every BM to go and see, especially if you are an American. It is just a damn shame that the man didn't get to take office in 2001. In retrospect, especially after seeing this film, and watching Bush ranting in Vienna on the news last night, the difference between these two men is like night and day. So, it was a tough break for America, IMHO, that Bush became our leader instead of Gore. But don't forget that there were more of us that voted for Gore!!
There are a lot of Americans that would disagree 100% with what I have just stated, and vehemently refute my opinion. That is their right. But this is what I mean when I say that the serious divisions in this country now have more to do with political views than with racial issues.