>While that may be true, you don't hear it nearly as much when a Repub or Tory is in the executive office. Well, that's a textbook example of confirmation bias

>While that may be true, you don't hear it nearly as much when a Repub or Tory is in the executive office. Well, that's a textbook example of confirmation bias. There was an awful lot of news about NSLs & friends when GW Bush was in office. He signed the damn Patriot Act! That said, this is all besides the point. In my opinion it is pretty much irrelevant to focus on individual actors or even political parties when thinking about the failings of government. We are not talking about a 10-man sports team. We are talking about a system, a giant system of processes and incentives, the outcome of which is our experience of government. Favouring or disfavouring individuals is like a gambler constantly choosing his "lucky" pokey machine. Or blaming/acclaiming a single soldier for the outcome of a war. In fact, it is programming or process which determines both these things. We have to start thinking about the larger picture.