What is American sentiment towards it's leadership and institutions?

I would hope that most Americans are sensible enough to be able to distinguish between "leadership" and "institutions."

The genius of the Constitution and America's institutions is that they are so brilliantly crafted that they have been able to evolve over the centuries but remain essentially intact. Contrast this with France that has, in the same time period, seen the basic form of its government and institutions change through violence, coup d'etat, and general collapse over a dozen times.

America has endured far worse problems in the past and continued to grow and prosper in the long run because of its institutions and their resiliency.

The present financial crisis is trivial compared to the Great Depression when unemployment exceeded 25% and the stock market fell by more than half.

The foreign policy failures that led to the ill conceived Iraq war (4200+ dead) are nothing when compared to far worse consequences of the failures that led FDR into World War II (405,399 dead), Truman into the Korean War ( 36,516 dead) and JFK into Vietnam (58,209 dead).

The cited incidents of financial and political corruption will shock only the naive and the sophomoric. Only those who cannot bear the thought that America remains the most powerful nation of earth in every sphere of human activity will be foolish enough to find any reason to doubt America's institutions.

What country are you in? I would like to be able to exam your political leaders also.

Madoff was a figure head and not a leader. Blagojevich is an IL governor, a leader only to those in IL.

How's the financial situation in your country?

The President is leaving office. The congress is the most inept I have ever seen but I would still take my country over most others.

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Im ashamed that our country has allowed abortion. We are fighting to get rid of it. Im ashamed that some of our leaders, namely liberal democrats, are unpatriotic and insult and accuse our own troops. Im ashamed that we are moving toward socialism.

The Iraq war ended up being a great thing anyway because we got rid of a brutal dictator that even Muslims detested and helped bring democracy and prosperity to the region which IS traditionally our great legacy.

If you know of a country that is traditionally corruption-free and without economic crisis let me know, and Ill pack my bags immediately and move there!

sure, everyone here is fed up, disgusted and pissed off, but we're pretty busy right now just trying to keep ourselves above water, either hang on to a job or trying to find a job, eat and pay rent or house payments. we'll worry about the corruption in the next election.

I in principle simplify the matter as is reflected on a sticker on my crash helmet, being " I Love My Country but Fear My Government ". In other words I love this country and what is represents at large but fear the politics that seem hell bent on destroying the basic fiber it was founded on.

We have been royally screwed and have only ourselves to blame. Hopefully now enough of us are paying attention. Your list is just this week, the stupidity goes back nearly to the beginning.

Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision he makes and should just support that, you know, and be faithful in what happens.