Tell a liberal: This is a great fucking country!

All those dubious international ratings about the sad state of America must be wrong. Not even health care woes get in the way.

August 15, 2007 -- A surprising 94 percent of Americans say they are satisfied with their lives - although far fewer in New York and other Eastern states think they're better off than they were five years ago, according to a new survey.

The Harris Poll of more than 1,000 people reported the overall "satisfaction" level, defined as people who said they were either very or somewhat satisfied with their lot, was up 4 percentage points, from 90 percent two years ago.

But only 42 percent of people in the Eastern U.S. said things had improved since 2002. By contrast, 60 percent of Southerners and 62 percent of Westerners said their lives had improved.

Does it surprise you that the blues states of the Northeast have slightly different views of the good life than the rest of the country? Bush Derangement Syndrome has its consequences including a very pathetic Democratic Congress that can't end the war in Iraq or the war on terror.

Meanwhile, today is the 30th anniversary of the death of Elvis, a performer and individual of great contradictions. Another great loss but at least Elvis, unlike the transgressive denizens of the counterculture, didn't hate his country. He loved it.