O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

I'm in Washington. I love it here. And it's not just the lack of snow. Think about it: The US has just endured what some here are calling "the lost decade," nearly a decade of perhaps the worst president ever unless you consider James Buchanan (1857-1861), whose dithering nearly split the country as he remained indifferent to slavery and somehow didn't see the Civil War coming. That was bad. There should be statues to Lincoln in Ottawa. Canada was formed when the Fathers of Confederation realized the US was getting its act together and they figured they'd better get theirs in shape too before the US took over everything north of 49.

Yes, there's a lot to be worried about in the US, for sure: Economic collapse, two grinding wars (one based on a lies), wiretaps, environmental whistling in the wind, Katrina (speaking of wind)...

You'd think Americans would be running scared.

They're Not.

We say "depression." They say, "New Green economy." Where there are problems, they see opportunities. A taxi driver told me this morning that if you don't fail at least twice in America you're not trying hard enough. I like this attitude. Heck, a big story here yesterday is how Joe the Plumber is now a foreign correspondent in Gaza. Geez, these people think they can do anything. And then they do.

There's a lot you can say about the US. But as another taxi driver said yesterday, they've "got it all goin' on." After eight lost years, America's got its mojo back and it's about time. We need them. And I admire them. God Bless America.