For quite some time now, much of the world has thought that America is out of control. Its war and its unwillingness to cooperate with the rest of the world on the environment. Or anything else, for that matter. Its paranoia and human rights violations. Its blatant disregard for the rule of law. Its religious fanaticism.
The country is demented. It’s running amok and wreaking havoc in the world.
It’s the American government, of course, that should be held responsible. But the majority of the population which, whether by volition or omission, handed this government the reins, is just as much to blame. I have no sympathy for these people. They’re getting what they deserve. For the 25% or so of you who think and care and try, my heart goes out to you.
Now the economic crisis resulting from American corporate greed is threatening the rest of the world as well. America is a disease that needs to be contained. Quarantined. A drunk driver who needs to be tossed in the drunk tank and made to sleep it off. A bully who needs to be taken down a notch or two.
Sorry about the metaphor frenzy.
About a year ago I asked Vincent (rhetorically) why the hell the rest of the world didn’t just unite and impose sanctions on the wayward giant to get it to toe the line. Of course, I knew why. America is rich and powerful. The rest of the world needs America. Or it thinks it does.
But the wind is changing. This week, the American economy ceased to be the strongest in the world. Guess whose turn it is to be on top: the Euro Zone.
And I, for one, am glad to see that Europe immediately put its money where its mouth is. Yesterday, the European Transport Commission told the US that its airlines would have to start paying carbon offset fees or the EU would curb flights to Europe by US carriers. Not that Americans can afford European vacations with the dollar looking more and more like the peso with every passing day… Also yesterday, European leaders threatened the US and China with trade sanctions if they didn’t get their environmental act together.
It’s about damn time.
Very recently, France expanded the region where Champagne can be produced to meet demand. Who, you ask, is sucking up all that bubbly? “Newly affluent consumers” in Asia and Russia.
Face it America. You’re not the most popular girl in school anymore. It’s time to get humble.
* laughs * Tell like it is, sistah!
Oh, dear, I so agree. Unfortunately, we live in San Francisco. What to do??? I despair over the state of the union, and wonder how this will go over the next decade or two. If John McCain is elected president, I think we will have to consider moving abroad…but what about our kids? They are in their twenties, and are already launched on the college-career-connections circuit here. I wish we were EU citizens…I hate the feeling of helplessness the relection of Geo W Bush led to.
Hi Jadie. Nice to see you again! I responded to your comment on “What little girls are made of.” I sympathize.
Realistically, if you have a career that is portable, working from home makes it possible to move about the planet. Lots of Americans move here and start businesses too. There are ways.
I know it’s hard with the kids. It depends, I guess, on how dependent they still are on you (and the reverse). My son was in Alaska and it was looking like he’d be there for two more years when I moved here. He was completely independent and far away. I felt guilt (and still do), but I also felt that I had to live my own life and let him live his.
I’ve always suggested to my friends, the ones who sacrifice themselves and their relationships to devote absolutely all their time and attention to their kids, that it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to teach their kids by example that it’s OK to seek their own fulfillment and follow their own bliss from time to time. I’m not suggesting you’re like that. And maybe it’s just my way of rationalizing selfish acts over the years! I don’t know.
It’s a very tough spot you’re in and I understand.
During the current US sub-prime crisis, a rock-solid Belgian bank saw its shares drop from 35 to just over 10 EUR, without really being exposed to the US banking or housing crisis.
My elderly neighbor put all her assets in this ’solid’ bank, which, along with much of the world, has become yet another victim of US corporate greed, outrageous US consumer spending in a country with only 300 million inhabitants that consumes 1/4th of the world’s oil.
The anti-American sentiment in Europe is visibly on the increase.
BTW: did you notice that frightened US expats who returned to the USA suddenly turned their liberal blogs into a ‘cooking book’, or something downsized not to cause any trouble?
Peter, I didn’t know about the liberal bloggers going non-political… Got any links?
Yes, I do. But some became friends and I respect their decision to turn their outspoken blog (often not indexed or cached on Google) into whatever they feel ’safe’ with.
Several stopped commenting on my blog.
Some returned to very conservative US states, I guess that continuing to write a ‘liberal’ blog would really damage their careers. Most US employers go much further than just ‘Google’ applicants for a job.
Being “outspoken” often equals being perceived as being “unpatriotic” in conservative corporate America.
Peter, I’m not at all surprised that people living over there are nervous. It’s so sad!
I think the fear probably goes beyond business. I think people are becoming increasingly aware that all their electronic communications are being scanned for certain keywords and analyzed if they’re flagged. (Although you can be certain that there are plenty of Americans who don’t even know this or don’t believe it’s true.)
Simply being politically to the left is considered unpatriotic by conservatives. I was actually afraid my tires would be slashed for having a Kerry sticker on my car in the extremely conservative little town I was living in at the time of the last election… (Don’t ask me why I was there. It wasn’t my idea and it didn’t last.)