As a Canadian watching this U.S. financial mess, the big problem here is the U.S. Government system itself.

At times, the bicameral system is just as indecisive as the proportional representational system. In reality, the U.S. has no effective government right now. Just two political parties duking it out, neither with the power to be effective. I could live with either vision of the U.S. -free market or socialist, as long as they BALANCE THEIR BUDGET.

Italy with it's proportional representation has so many political entities that nothing effective can be done.

What really needs to happen here, and it won't for three years, is that the U.S. needs to elect someone with a clear mandate to act.It also needs government reform, but I know that won't happen.