Is the world sending America a message?

At the time when America's Dollar is collapsing, is the rest of the world sending us a message? When we know that corporate corruption is at an all-time high, and special interests infiltrate Washington, do we continue to disregard the crisis any longer and wait until the Dollar drags our country into another Depression? Or, do we look at the examples from Pakistan and Georgia?

Does no one remember history? Are we doomed to repeat it? The Soviet Union's Ruble was in shambles because of war spending and it collapsed it's empire. Why then, does no one listen to economists today — before it's too late?

Will we wait until the back of the Dollar has broken and we've sunk into an abysmal recession before we demand change? Or can this economy hold out for the coming elections in 2009 - when there is a chance to change the policies of the United States?

Georgia's President declares a state of emergency

Georgia's president, Mikhail Saakashvili, on Wednesday night declared a 15-day state of emergency following six days of violent clashes between riot police and protesters in the state capital of Tbilisi. The demonstrators were demanding the president resign, and the protests are seen as the most serious challenge to Saakashvili since he came to power in the peaceful 2003 Rose Revolution.

However, in an apparent response to criticism of his actions, president Saakashvili on Thursday announced special presidential elections for Jan. 5, reports The New York Times. A referendum would be held the same day for the timing of parliamentary elections, Saakashvili said.

On Wednesday, authorities said the president had declared the emergency because of "an attempt at a state coup," reports German news site Deutsche Welle. The government also announced restrictions "on public gatherings and the media, closing all television networks except state-controlled stations."

Bernanke says US economy to slow

Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke has warned that the US economy will slow noticeably before the end of the year.

He blamed the slowdown on the credit crisis, which has made it harder for banks and individuals to borrow money.

He said that there was likely to be more "financial restraint on economic growth as credit becomes more expensive and difficult to obtain".

Musharraf vows polls in February

Pakistan will hold elections before 15 February, President Pervez Musharraf has announced.

Gen Musharraf has been under pressure to honour the parliamentary poll date, originally scheduled for January, since imposing emergency rule on Saturday.

He said he declared the state of emergency because of militant violence and an unruly judiciary.

I could cite many more references to the eventual collapse of the dollar, but the main point of this rant is the extent to which Americans will ignore major issues. When other countries throughout the world are displeased with it's leaders, they change their leaders.

We continue to put up with our current administration's tactics on foreign policy almost blindly. Last time I check, which was about 3 years ago, President Bush's approval rating was at about 30%. I don't think it's increased much since then either.