The US is as far as I can tell unique among industrialized nations in that there a large and vocal proportion of the citizenry who consider ignorance a virtue, and wild-eyed sloganeering about the blood of patriots a useful substitute for research and critical thinking. And the workin' folk and NASCAR moms and dads who are getting screwed the worst by the Republican right are the ones foaming about the mouth about "socialism". It would be funny if it weren't so sad.