I am forgetting probably the most important highlighted in the book I referred to and that was probably the most important feature of early Manhattan. There was a strong sense for democratic principles in early Manhattan, in which the vote of each and everyone was represented. In that they had gone much further than anything that existed in Europe at the time.

Today's politics in the US is run by a very small elite, most people do not vote and even the new opposition (tea party) seems to be merely coming from the middle class. Who represents the bottom 50-70% of the population in US politics? And is it strange that the elite only cares for itself when they have all power?

Sorry, Priggly, I admit that I am left of you. For you I must be a lefty or worse, a Socialist. I have to smile, when Americans use that word. They have not the slightest idea what it means in an European context. Others, who are at the left or middle here in Europe might call me a rightist and conservative. Everything is so relative. Did you ever realize that for some God may not exist and is just invented by man? Take some distance from what is right and wrong, go and meet the poor in your country and travel the world to understand other cultures. You really live in a very small circle and seem to attack others for being more broad minded.