Bush is giving us the short end of the stick

Americans are now shorter than Europeans. And why is this? Well, I'm glad you asked!

This surprising reappraisal of American and European physiques is the work of researcher John Komlos of Munich University. 'Much of the difference is due to the great social inequality that now exists in the United States,' Komlos told The Observer last week. 'In Europe, there is - in most countries - good health service provision for most members of society and plenty of protein in most people's diets. As a result, children do not suffer illnesses that would blight their growth or suffer problems of malnutrition. For that reason, we have continued to grow and grow.'

On the other hand, America has eight million people with no job, 40 million individuals with no health insurance, 35 million living below the poverty line, and a population that exists mainly on junk food. There, the rise in average height that marked its progress as a nation through the 19th and 20th centuries has stopped and has actually reversed - albeit very slightly - in recent years. Many Americans are rich and do well anatomically as a result, but there is a large underclass that is starting to drag the country down the stature charts.

So basically, our lack of jobs (coupled with underemployment and lack of decent paying jobs), lack of health care, and poor diets due to people not having the money to eat right, is effecting our health and well being. Thanks to policies from Bush and the GOP, Europeans are now literally looking down on us. And this means they're really going to kick our ass in Olympic basketball.