The analogy carries farther than you think. For example, in this case the python a foreign element that was surreptitiously introduced into the swamp by someone - just as the US attack and occupation of Iraq was foisted by Israel, AIPAC and her NeoCons agents of influence.

And as a result, our entire democratic system has been compromised, our Pentagon and Congress and intelligence systems have been shown to be essentially corrupted and penetrated, and our most esteemed and respected principles -- like Separation of Powers, Bill of Rights, Geneva Convetions, UN Charter etc - shown to be nothing more than paper tigers which can be ignored at will. Sure, our Supreme Court has taken a belated and weak step in the right direction with the Hamdam decision -- but don't hold your breath. We are now, more than ever, a dossier-state, subject to mass surveillance and victims of propaganda campaigns. Its all over. The Republic has fallen. Someone turn off the lights.

Or not.

This wouldn't be the first Republic that fell due to internal corruption. Been to Venice?

Gore Vidal pointed out in his book that Benjamin Franklin expected the US constitutional system to inevitably rot away due to corruption. Now take a look at it. Its most valued principals now are dead letter and myth. You CAN be subjected to search and seizure without due process. You CAN be tried without an opportunity to confront witnesses. In fact you can be imprisoned indefinitely without any trial at all, or based on "secret evidence" that neither you, your lawyer nor the judge has a right to see. You CAN be tortured and "reditioned". Your vote is nonsense since the two parties have effectively dominated the system and whittled your choices to irrelevancies. Your freedom of speech is drowned out by mega corporations.

Yes folks, that's america today. It would make any Soviet Commissar green with envy.