It's now quite a while since I promised to write something about how the U.S. is starting to look more and more like the Weimar Republic just before Hitler came to power. However, I am simply out of band- width, and will try to get away with recommending the book where I first picked up this idea: "Ominous Parallels" by L. Peikoff The book reveals the philosophical premises of today's Liberals *and* Conservatives and shows how they would fit right into Weimar. In the end, Hitler was the man who promised to implement the ideals of both the right (order, restraint of workers etc.) and the left (social programs, restraint of businessmen.) Both the Protestants and the Catholics praised Hitler, for "increasing the moral standard" of the country. Finally, Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" is a novel which offers a rather stunning commentary to the words of both Bush and Clinton. Indeed, it was "Atlas Shrugged" which finally prompted me to abandon the super-socialized Norway and move to the U.S.; and here I am watching it grow ever-more statist. :-) As for anyone already aware of / curious about Rand's philosophy, Objectivism, I'll be happy to (per email) answer questions, point them to discussion lists and so on. Frode Odegard