COLUMNISTS

If the political pundits think relations between Moscow and Washington are in freefall mode now, just wait until John McCain inherits the U.S. presidency. Yes, you heard it here first: John McCain will be duly elected as the 44th president of the United States in November. Of course, I may be wrong, but the conspiracy theorist in me keeps whispering that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are mere freak show acts to a tragedy that is already written. I just can't imagine, not in this lifetime, the U.S. neocons surrendering the joystick to Iraqi Surge.

But rest easy, Russia, because the pain of McCain in the White House will be far greater for middle-class Americans, already being swept away by a tidal wave of home foreclosures (analysts predict about 2 million homes will be up for sheriff's sale by the end of 2008), ridiculous McWal-Mart wages and an anti-capitalist culture of corporate welfare.   Under McCain, tax breaks for the rich, and continued slow simmering for the middle and lower classes, promise to continue.

American Economics for Idiots, Chapter One: Corporate Ame­rica's brave "free market economy" has no problem with consumers clinging to leaky lifeboats in a sea of debt and loan sharks, but just watch the "invisible hand" of the market spring to the rescue when the intrepid investors start bleeding green. The latest meltdown on Wall Street proves there is no such thing as an unregulated market - the mythical "survival of the fittest economy" dear to Atlas Shrugged fans. Even the Financial Times was forced to swallow this jagged pill of common sense.

"Remember Friday March 14, 2008," wrote columnist Martin Wolf. "It was the day the dream of global free-market capitalism died... By its decision to rescue Bear Stearns, the Federal Reserve, the institution responsible for monetary policy in the US, chief protagonist of free-market capitalism, declared this era over... Deregulation has reached its limits."

It's so sad to see grown economists cry all over their data.

Incidentally, the Bush clan has acquired quite a reputation for brazen bailouts of the banking and investment community. Under George I, prodigal son Neil Bush did a bang-up job as honorary board member and big borrower of Silverado Savings and Loan; its crash and burn set back American taxpayers back $1 billion, while the systemic S&L crisis cost the clogged heartland an estimated $200 billion. The thread of "moral hazard" has woven its way through the administrations of Bush I & II.

As you can see, when discussing America politics it is easy to get wildly sidetracked. But it is important to appreciate the Time of Troubles that McCain will inherit when he moves into the Oval Office in November.

Just the fact that McCain has made it this far in the presidential race says a lot about the state of American politics, and nothing terribly optimistic.

First, although I am not a doctor, it seems that McCain - and all future leaders, in fact - should be required by some sort of clause in the Homeland Security Act to undergo a thorough psychological test before running for higher office. After all, the primary mission of the federal agency, according to its website, is to "prevent, protect against, and respond to acts of terrorism on United States soil." Personally, I can see no greater magnet for terrorists to American shores than this guy, who recently told a wide-eyed audience that he had no problem with American troops staying in Iraq "for another 100 years." During another comic session, McCain tortured his audience by putting a new twist on a Beach Boys hit, "Bomb, bomb, bomb... Iran."

Although it is hard not to be impressed with Mr. McCain's war credentials (after being shot down during a bombing mission over Vietnam, he was imprisoned - and tortured - for five and a half years, three in solitary confinement; that gives a person a lot of time to reflect on a lot of things), his experience seems to have increased rather than softened his appetite for military confrontation. This in itself is scary, since most soldiers return home from war with a great distaste for combat. "War would end if the dead could return," commented Stanley Baldwin.   

For America, as with other countries snorting heavily on the power powder, the one thing more dangerous than defeat in battle is victory. Following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, US forces quickly cleaned the Taliban clock in Afghanistan, which prompted a whole slew of articles and books with the word "empire" emblazoned in the titles (12.8 million according to my Google counter). This head rush of hubris led naturally to the deserts of Iraq, despite the fact that UN inspectors could find no "smoking gun" to support a "liberating" invasion. Failure to stem the violence in Iraq after 5 years and 4,000 US fatalities has not turned to talk of leaving, but rather to finding new enemies and new reasons for America's "setback."

The Associated Press lamented that the "Iraq war has nearly vanished from U.S. TV screens." However, tune into CNN or Fox News, for example, and the reason for this disappearing act is clear: the heavy media train has already packed up its equipment and headed off to Iran.

In the past, the media followed armies to the war; today, armies follow the media to the next battlefield.

Now all America needs is "conservative" John McCain in the White House to complete this script of sheer insanity.

By Robert Bridge