Biden finally jumps in....

[Yonadav]

I didn't say that we are hopeless. I don't know that we are hopeless. A made some critical statements about us that are true. Fixing a problem begins with acknowledging the problem. That's the point of making critical statements that are true.

I don't agree that any of your claims are true because they are all over-statements.  You should address specifics and give credit where credit is due.

Here is how I would restate what you wrote:

Wealth and celebrity are entertaining.  Few people worship either because they don't take them that seriously.

Because politics is a different word game than ordinary exchanges, it's a ripe target for levity.

Democracy has always had the tendency to be warped by group thinking.  It's still better than the other options.

We are a nation of people who strive to be better than we can be realistically, too often because we have been sold some bill of goods.

Sounds a bit sanctimonious there, Jay. Saying different things than what I said isn't restating what I said. You disagree with what I said, and that fine. Just say that you don't agree and say what you think. Don't pretend that you are restating my statements when you clearly are not.