I regret to say that I disagree with your statements in whole and in part — the assumptions, the fundamental ideas, the outcomes, and your interpretation of history. However, I sincerely appreciate the respectful tone in which you offer your opinion; I'm afraid civility is in short supply these days, and I'm delighted to find that you have reservoirs handy.

Let's pick a different venue if you'd like to discuss this; I hate to hijack other peoples' blogs for these sorts of debates.