Oliver Cromwell and Barack Obama
From Dec 2008: The stock-market is down 40%, with middle-class savings decimated, and the finger (sadly) pointed at "Wall Street". On top of this, news just broke of an unprecedented financial scandal, where Bernie Madoff seems to have confessed to a $50 billion fraud! And, the governor of Illinois is accused of blatantly auctioning a senate seat. These are dangerous times, because uninformed public anger at such events can be harnessed by a demagogue. Imagine Oliver Cromwell, giving his famous speech today: 20 April 1653 It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonored by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money. Is there a single virtue now remaining amongst you? Is there one vi