The peoples Republic of America, or the United States of Ameristan

No, not for the reason you might think.

Yes, I am violently worried about this stimulus plan which is no more stimulus than an end around the normal budget procedures (150 million dollars for the Smithsonian is stimulus? Family planning is stimulus? c'mon!!).

Here's the rub. Back home in NY, everywhere I went there was Obama memorabilia. Late night informercials with commemorative coins, plates, etc. Walk into stores and there were posters, plates, stamps, etc.

OK, I live in a highly democratic, left wing part of the country. Fine.

It was frightening but I wrote it off as not what I really believed it to be, but merely misplaced enthusiasm.

But I have spent the last three days down south in McCain country, and it is even worse here!! Every grocery, drug store, beach store, you name it!!

And what I don't get is that everyone I have spoken to feels the same disgusted creepiness about it.

Why? Well, for those of you who have never travelled overseas to authoritarian, dictatorships, this is what you see there.

The cult of personality. Name any current dictator for life and that is the hallmark of their country. Postering, pictures, etc everywhere.

Remember the statue of Sadaam?

When you are in Israel, one of the most telling things is when you cross over into Jordan or Egypt, the first thing you notice are immense wall posters of King Hussein and President Mubarak.

And I mean immediately, on the border!!

This is no longer just a sort of pathetic joke, but I am desperately scared.

I will talk about my real fears soon, but this man has so hoodwinked this country... I simply cannot believe the way the press and the nation itself has simply shut down their critical eyes and forgiven sign after sign.

Even this most ridiculous thing, Timothy Geitner. have we forgotten the literally handful of folks from the Clinton and first Bush administrations who were forced to withdraw nominations b/c they didn't pay social security taxes on nannies?

And This is the guy that is RUNNING the IRS!!! But hey, it's King Obama, speak out and you may be beheaded.

All hail the glorious leader!!!