Um, I don't want to rain on the parade here, but we aren't the only nation to send men to the moon.

We aren't event the first ones into space.

As for Vietnam POWs, ours is the only country I think you will find where our war heroes get spit on, insulted, and generally discounted by the very citizenry they served.

Who here would think the old USSR wasn't a sick society? Yet look at all they accomplished. Also, they were darned near the end of us all. Accomplishments and sacrifice do not a great nation make.

As for the Presidency, it isn't being in the White House that makes you powerful, it is what got you there that does. Any modern president will have to deal with congress, and congress has a way of really stifling a president's desire to effect change. What gave Bush the clout to influence congress to his will, his ability to capitalize on the emotive response of the public opinion during crisis, and his lobbying influence with big business. Pitiful souls such as we would likely be congressional puppets for our lack of solid corporate backing these days. Heck, look what it takes to run a campaign even.

Much as I would desire such ideals to come to fruition, the reality is that we must fall considerably deeper before we as a people will rise up to compel change. Even then, given the magnitude of our technological development, I don't know if we have the capability to overcome the last desperate gasp of tyranny without being cancelled out in whole. Such things take tremendous sacrifice, and our ability to annihilate each other may be too great. We're not talking about legions of unwilling solidiers anymore, we're talking about one man with his finger on a button, and an attitude of if he can't have it all, then no one can...