America's a very traumatized society.

My fellow Americans you have to decide what kind of country you want to live in. If you want a you're on your own winner take all society you should support the Republican ticket. If you want a country of shared opportunities and shared responsibilities - a 'we're all in it together' society you should vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

The surface of American society is covered with a layer of democratic paint but from time to time one can see the old aristocratic colours breaking through.

When I read about the way in which library funds are being cut and cut I can only think that American society has found one more way to destroy itself.

In December I agreed to extend the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans because it was the only way I could prevent a tax hike on middle-class Americans. But we cannot afford $1 trillion worth of tax cuts for every millionaire and billionaire in our society. We can't afford it. And I refuse to renew them again.

We must reject the idea that every time a law's broken society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.

We ought to be beating our chests every day. We ought to look in the mirror stick out our chests suck in our bellies and say 'Damn we're Americans ' and smile.

It's been a hard time to celebrate to come out with a smile. But I'm an American. Naomi asked me to come out to support other Americans and here I am.

Southerners smile more than other Americans.

I started in this racket in the early '70s and when I was president of the Science Fiction Writers of America of which I was like the sixth president I was the first one nobody ever heard of.