By Andrew L. Jaffee

Crime. Immigration. Terrorism. Lowering morals. A public school system in disaster. Our politics are falling apart, in a contradictory manor: one side wants “sensitive” treatment of Iran’s mullahs, and still believes there’s no problem which money won’t solve; the other side seeks to deny rights to gay citizens and worry about abortion — and is also willing to piss away billions. And both parties are rife with scandals. Sound familiar? But maybe not yet quite as bad as in the Netherlands. From the AP:

Several self-avowed pedophiles founded a political party in the Netherlands on Wednesday, but it was unclear whether the party has more than a handful of members.

The Charity, Freedom and Diversity party said its central campaign platform will be lowering the age of consent in the Netherlands from 16 to 12.

“Forbidding children from sex only makes them more curious,” party president Martijn Uittenbogaard told The Associated Press.

No wonder the Muslim world looks at the West with disdain: a weak, corrupt society easily toppled. But hope is not lost. There are still a good many Westerners who may wake up before it is too late.