What makes a country special and, yes, great? Its land, its people, its history, its culture, its belief systems or its soul? All of these, and so much more—including intangibles that most of us never think about. The United States is that country, unlike any other on the Earth. There is no need for Americans to flaunt it or be arrogant or condescending or aloof. Those are not the American way. Deep beneath the surface, there is love for people everywhere, and an appreciation of each person’s God-given gifts and uniqueness. In a recent interview, I said:
I believe in this country, and I believe in Americans of all colors, faiths and backgrounds. The United States is the only true melting pot in the world, with its populace representing a United Nations of the world’s peoples. Yes, we fight and we even discriminate, but when times are tough—like after 9/11—we come together as one nation, which makes this country so great and special. Also, all of us or our ancestors came here from somewhere else. Even the American Indians are descended from those who crossed the Bering Strait—or the “Bering land bridge”—according to anthropologists.[2]
Abby was delightful, and really tried to help. Having been an Apple customer for about 20 years, I know how diligently she tried. Finally, she routed me to “Amy,” who turned out to be located in Boise, Idaho. Amy was delightful too; and we tried everything, but nothing worked because the “Made in China” iPod is apparently defective and needs to be replaced. In the course of our discussions, I learned that Amy hailed from California, where I was born and raised. Having had bad experiences with HP recently—where Amy’s husband has worked—in terms of its nonexistent customer support, I was pleased to tell Amy how I had gone through Apple’s ups and downs, but have been generally quite pleased with its telephone support. It has kept me in the fold and a loyal Apple customer through thick and thin. Something struck me in the gut though, about companies like Apple farming out calls to India, the Philippines and other countries. It just seemed very un-patriotic. It meant the loss of jobs that might have gone to Americans; and it was the first time that I found Apple doing it.
If I had purchased Apple stock at about $12 per share many years ago, I would have made out like a bandit. If I had bought stock in Ford when it reached a low of $1.01 in November of 2008, which was not too long ago, I would done very well. Ford has announced plans to hire more American workers; its new cars are great looking; and their quality is apparently superb.[3] Despite the fact that the U.S. may be in the “doldrums” for the rest of this decade, I have been pleased to tell friends and acquaintances that Ford is back, or so it seems, just like Apple came roaring back. My first four cars were Fords, before I switched to foreign brands—with two Chevrolets thrown in—and it is nice to think about Ford once again and to have an American automaker to be proud of. Lots of people are avoiding cars from Barack Obama’s “Government Motors” and Chrysler, and I share their views.
Whether it is a computer-related product or a car or almost anything else in life, there is a newfound pride in buying American that is surfacing in this country. Will it result in harmful protectionism that sent the global economies into a tailspin during the 1930s? I do not believe so because at the very least, complicated products like cars and computers often have parts that are made abroad. However, as times get tougher, Americans and others may buy their own country’s products before turning abroad. This is human nature; or their decisions may be dictated solely by price not sentiment. Apple’s iPod and its computers are made in China, but even that might change—although it seems unlikely anytime soon.
In April of 2009, I wrote: “America and other nations are in uncharted waters [economically, politically, and in other ways]; and their politicians may face backlashes from disillusioned and angry constituents that are unprecedented in modern times.”[4] Even harder days are ahead, and politicians may experience electoral “bloodbaths.” These will be years of taking stock, and of being thankful for the little things—for families and helping others. The limits of hedonism, godless secularism, and paying homage to the false gods of materialism will become self-evident. We may opt for simpler lives because we have to, and because we come to like and prefer a return to the basics.
When I decided that I wanted to work on Capitol Hill after spending two years in the Army, rather than rejoin a prestigious San Francisco law firm where I could make more money, I tried to get a job with then-U.S. Senator Alan Cranston from my home State of California. To my surprise and disappointment, his staff was headed by a fellow from New York who apparently wanted to propel Cranston into the foreign policy arena, and was less interested in hiring Californians like me. Hence, I pounded the Senate corridors and learned that then-U.S. Senator Edward W. Brooke—the first black senator since Reconstruction after the U.S. Civil War, with Barack Obama being the third—was hiring an attorney for the Senate Banking Committee.
I was hired by his chief of staff, Dr. Alton Frye, without ever having met the senator. I was honored that a white man from California was working for a black man from Massachusetts, but that is how America works. I went on to write the “Brooke Amendment” relating to public housing; and the national “Housing Allowance” that morphed into the Section 8 housing program, which has helped millions of Americans. The nicest thing that some people might say about me is that I am “outspoken.” Ed Brooke put it another way one day, when he said that I lacked “tact.” Perhaps this is the beauty of being an American. Each of us can speak our mind on any and every issue, without qualms about doing so.
I criticize President Obama regularly, often in scathing terms, but I almost voted for him. Even though I disagree with almost everything he does, because I am much more conservative than he will ever be, I would prefer him any day of the week to a leader like Russia’s murderous dictator-for-life Putin.[5] Perhaps I will never forget the way Obama wrote lovingly about his mother and his maternal grandparents, “Toot” and “Gramps,” in his book “Dreams from My Father.”[6] Yet, after working in Washington, D.C. for 21 years nonstop, the one lesson I learned is that government does not work; and the Obama presidency is a shining example of that. Only the Pentagon—where I spent two years as an Army Officer—and our military are remotely efficient and effective. The rest of government is a vast “wasteland,” even though there are good people working at all levels of government.
America is magnificent geographically, whether one thinks about the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and other breathtaking parks, or its deserts, mountains, lakes, inland waterways and coastlines. Its metropolitan areas are unparalleled, be it New York City or San Francisco, or thousands of cities and towns in between. Its people are like a rainbow, with diversity undergirding all. Its culture is rich because of the many cultures that have been blended into the American experience, which is unique in all the world. Its belief systems are as varied as there are colors in the rainbow. And its soul . . . ah yes, its soul . . . embraces the souls of more than 300 million people, woven together into a rich tapestry of life.
When we have decisions to make or feel that we are being called in a particular direction, our strength comes in putting our faith in God within and trusting the guidance we receive through prayer, intuition or love. As individuals and as a country, we walk by faith not by sight. Yes, America is great . . . from sea to shining sea—and deep in the Pacific where volcanic peaks of the Hawaiian Islands loom, and in the majestic northernmost reaches of Alaska’s tundra, and in the azure Caribbean too. God blessed us beyond belief, although we take it for granted much of the time. Everyone does. This is human nature. After all, we are not perfect. Neither is America. Only God is.[7]
© 2010, Timothy D. Naegele
[1] Timothy D. Naegele was counsel to the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, and chief of staff to Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal recipient and former U.S. Senator Edward W. Brooke (R-Mass), the first black senator since Reconstruction after the U.S. Civil War. He practices law in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles with his firm, Timothy D. Naegele & Associates (www.naegele.com). He has an undergraduate degree in economics from UCLA, as well as two law degrees from the School of Law (Boalt Hall), University of California, Berkeley, and from Georgetown University. He is a member of the District of Columbia and California bars. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Army, assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon, where he received the Joint Service Commendation Medal. Mr. Naegele is an Independent politically; and he is listed in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in American Law, and Who’s Who in Finance and Business. He has written extensively over the years. See, e.g., www.naegele.com/whats_new.html#articles
[2] See http://www.philstockworld.com/2009/10/11/greenspan’s-legacy-more-suffering-to-come/ and http://seekingalpha.com/instablog/2951-ilene/31177-interview-with-timothy-d-naegele
[3] See, e.g., http://finance.yahoo.com/q/hp?s=F&a=00&b=3&c=2008&d=01&e=2&f=2010&g=m; see also http://www.ford.com/about-ford/news-announcements/press-releases/press-releases-detail/pr-ford-kicks-off-2010-with-24-31945 and http://online.wsj.com/mdc/public/page/2_3022-autosales.html#autosalesE
[4] See http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/tms/politics/2009/Apr/08/euphoria_or_the_obama_depression_.html; see also http://www.americanbanker.com/issues/173_212/-365185-1.html
[5] Compare http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/01/20/the-end-of-barack-obama/ and http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/emp-attack-only-30-million-americans-survive/ and http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/01/01/barack-obama-america’s-second-emperor/ and http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2009/12/26/obama-in-afghanistan-doomed-from-the-start/ and http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/is-barack-obama-a-racist/ with http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/02/09/russias-putin-is-a-killer/
[6] See Obama, “Dreams from My Father” (paperback “Revised Edition,” published by Three Rivers Press, 2004), pp. xii (“[S]he was the kindest, most generous spirit I have ever known, and . . . what is best in me I owe to her”), 89 (“[Toot and Gramps] had sacrificed again and again for me. They had poured all their lingering hopes into my success. Never had they given me reason to doubt their love; I doubted if they ever would”), 343 (“I looked out the window, thinking about my mother, Toot, and Gramps, and how grateful I was to them—for who they were. . . .”); see also http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/is-barack-obama-a-racist/
[7] Some years ago, I had a law student from UCLA who worked for me as a law clerk doing research and legal writing. He made a small mistake in a brief, but one that I considered important. I jumped all over him. He had worked in Saudi Arabia as an engineer before coming to law school; and he stopped me, and asked if I knew how the Saudis made Oriental rugs.
Some were made by hand and others by machines, he said, but in every case there was an intentional mistake inserted somewhere in each rug. He asked if I knew why, and I said no. He said the Saudis believed that only Allah—or God—is perfect; and of course I believed that too. Since then, when I have jumped all over myself for making mistakes, or thought about criticizing others, I have recalled his story. None of us are perfect. Only God is.
American Optimism
There is a fine op-ed piece in the New York Times by David Brooks, which is worth reading.
See http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/opinion/06brooks.html?src=me&ref=general
The American Serengeti
At times, Americans take for granted the majesty of this great country, and need visitors from abroad to put it into perspective. The National Geographic has a new show about a portion of the United States, which is described as the “American Serengeti.”
See, e.g., http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/nature-untamed/3765/Overview
Among other things, it includes the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge that contains approximately 1,100,000 acres, so often portrayed in the paintings of Russell, the western artist for whom the refuge is named.
See, e.g., http://www.fws.gov/cmr/
A Miracle!
In what might have resulted in the deaths of large numbers of Americans, the outcome was nothing short of a miracle—or a series of them:
Wow!
See http://wcbstv.com/local/times.square.car.2.1674692.html (“Call To Emirates Airlines Intercepted By Military Jets, Helped Investigators Track Faisal Shahzad Down“)
If only such miracles had happened on 9/11, instead of human tragedies. However, sometimes America—as great as it is—needs wake-up calls.
America And Islam
Fouad Ajami has written a Wall Street Journal article about what America confronts when dealing with the followers of radical Islam among us. It is sobering, and well worth reading.
See http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703338004575230142684329162.html?mod=WSJ_hps_sections_opinion
Steps To Protect America’s Security In Outer Space And Cyberspace
Secret space launches are intended to accomplish this, as well as the fact that our military has appointed its first senior general to direct cyber warfare.
Criticism of the Pentagon’s ambitious new Cyber Command is absurd. The U.S. military must do whatever is necessary to protect us.
China, Russia and North Korea are our enemies, and every step imaginable must be take to counter their conduct.
See http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7106714.ece and http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/23/us-appoints-cyber-warfare-general
Thank God!
The highly-respected Rasmussen polling organization is reporting:
See http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/holidays/may_2010/74_have_favorable_opinion_of_u_s_military
In the wake of what our Vietnam veterans went through, it is wonderful to see the support for our military, especially with two wars in progress, one of which is winding down.
Barack Obama ought to heed these results, and do nothing to weaken our military; and in fact, he should take all steps necessary to strengthen it in light of deadly challenges from China, Russia, North Korea, terrorists and elsewhere.
See, e.g., http://www.naegele.com/documents/MarkHelprin-FarewelltoAmericasChinaStation.pdf and http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/02/09/russias-putin-is-a-killer/ and http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/emp-attack-only-30-million-americans-survive/ and http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2009/12/26/obama-in-afghanistan-doomed-from-the-start/
Osama bin Laden And Top Aides Hiding In Iran?
It has been reported that Osama bin Laden and top aides are in the mountainous town of Savzevar in the northeastern Iranian province of Khorasan, living under Tehran’s protection for the last five years.
See http://www.debka.com/article/8841/
Maps Show The Racial Breakdown Of America’s Biggest Cities
The UK’s Daily Mail has published maps that show the racial breakdown of our biggest cities, which the newspaper says “appear to belie the U.S.’s reputation as the world’s melting pot.”
America is the only true melting pot in the world, with its populace representing a United Nations of the world’s peoples. However, the “melting pot” involves the nation as a whole—at work, at play, where people live, and in other facets of their lives. It is a “rainbow” country, unlike any other in this world, which undergirds its strength.
See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1315078/Race-maps-America.html
Honoring Our Military And Veterans On Veterans Day
The Washington Post has a moving article about a young enlisted man who was injured in Afghanistan, which every American should read.
It is about Marine Cpl. Todd A. (“Nice”) Nicely and his wife, Crystal who served as a Marine too. Nice’s injuries occurred when he was crossing a crude, single-file bamboo bridge over the canal in Afghanistan, and a bomb made of 40 pounds of homemade explosives detonated. As the Post article states:
In comments that I wrote at the Post’s Web site, I said:
See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/10/AR2010111008002.html; see also http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2010/11/10/GA2010111004749.html (photos of Todd’s rehab, Crystal, and his service as a Marine) and http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2010/11/10/VI2010111004325.html?sid=ST2010111008080 (video of Todd and Crystal)
However, such words barely touch on and inadequately describe the sacrifices that Nice, Crystal and other brave and selfless Americans make in the service of their country. Nice and Crystal are American heroes, both of them. What they and other members of our military have done, and are doing, has been happening each and every day since this great country was founded—at places like Valley Forge and Gettysburg, and at other locations worldwide that none of us have heard of or traveled to.
Each member of our military is special, and yes precious; and they and a long line of soldiers, sailors and airmen and women have done their duties since our country began. This is among the reasons why the commitment of our forces is a sacred trust; and once committed, “victory” must be a given. Even in Vietnam, our military was victorious—as related to me by an outstanding reporter with impeccable, world-class credentials who covered the Vietnam war and other wars up to and including the present day. In an e-mail message that I received on July 29, 2010, the person wrote:
See http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/john-f-kennedy-the-most-despicable-president-in-american-history/ (footnote 10)
I have no reason to believe that this person’s assessment is inaccurate in any respect. I will not disclose the person’s identity while he or she is alive, certainly without permission to do so.
Do We Need U.N. Approval to Save Libyan Lives?
This is the question that is asked and answered in a Wall Street Journal article, which is worth reading.
See http://www.naegele.com/documents/JohnYoo-WeDontNeedUNApprovaltoSaveLibyanLives.pdf
Obama is deferring to the UN because he is a spineless, cowardly, naïve, anti-war, far-Left, “Hamlet on the Potomac,” narcissistic president, who is determined to weaken our great nation at every turn. Also, the article is correct: his deference to the U.N. “amounts to a triumph of the Democratic Party’s pacifist base,” which Obama embraces and represents.
It has been said: “Jimmy Carter may be heading to #2 on the [list of] all-time worst presidents in American history, thanks to ‘O.’” This is an understatement. At best, Obama is “Jimmy Carter-lite.”
For example, following the rigged election victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009, countless Iranians who spoke out, protested and advocated freedom were beaten, jailed, tortured and killed, yet Obama stood by helplessly and did not come to their aid. Equally atrocious, he provided comfort to Iran’s theocratic fascists.
Similarly, he has done nothing to help protestors in China, or those in Russia. In fact, he has coddled the Chinese leadership and “dictator-for-life” Putin in Russia. He is turning his back on the fragile democracy in Iraq; and he is cutting and running from his Afghan War, leaving women and young girls to become tragic victims of the barbaric Taliban once again.
See http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/barack-obama-is-a-lame-duck-president-who-will-not-be-reelected/ (see also the footnotes and comments beneath the article)
In short, he is despicable—no other word describes him adequately—and he has lost the legitimacy to govern, He must not be reelected.
Next, the Journal’s article is correct: China and Putin’s Russia are authoritarian regimes. America’s goal must be to bring down both regimes, which are increasingly focused on domination, and replace them with democratic nations that live at peace with the world.
. . .
Some people have questioned whether America has some moral or other responsibility to fix the problems of the world. In an absolute sense, it does not, unless our national security or economic interests are at risk. Many of the problems do not affect us, certainly on a personal basis—other than perhaps emotionally when we learn of tragic human suffering.
Did we have a duty to intervene in Germany during World War II to prevent the Nazi Holocaust that killed approximately 6 million Jews and others? Franklin D. Roosevelt decided that we did not. Did we have a duty to intervene to prevent the Rwandan genocide that killed approximately one million civilians? Bill Clinton decided against it, and later apparently regretted it.
Because of America’s role as the world’s only true “melting pot,” and a beacon to those who seek freedom and democracy around the world—and because this country has been so blessed for so long—there is a sense that we have higher duties to help others. We are the shining city on the hill. Similarly, because of its origins as the repository for the oppressed of Europe and elsewhere, tiny Israel is thought by many to have higher duties to help the Palestinians and others, and not oppress them too.
In short, reality constrains America’s options and actions. We cannot be all things to all people. There are Americans who are suffering too, and they need our help and attention first and foremost. We cannot drain our national resources—which are not limitless—to right the wrongs of the world. We can only do so much; and at some point Americans say (or believe) that enough is enough, and understandably so. It is not cruel or heartless to do this. It is simply a function of being realistic.
We need to do all that we can to meet our need for oil right here in the States. We have vast oil resources, which can be tapped without endangering our environment. Sure the radical eco-Nazis will scream, but so what. The goal of getting us off our dependence on foreign oil might rival our goal of putting a man on the moon—which seems like a distant vision today, especially after the last space shuttle completes its mission, because Obama has curtailed that program.
I concur with the following conclusions suggested by others:
(1) We have plenty of oil, excess amounts of coal, and huge reserves of natural gas; and
(2) We have nuclear power with a great track record of safety.
We must unleash these resources immediately, instead of allowing the eco-Nazis to dictate our future and limit our horizons.
The American Political System Is Wonderful
The American people are wiser than they are given credit for—certainly by those people in other countries—and our political system works more brilliantly than most people believe it does.
See, e.g., http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/02/26/america-a-rich-tapestry-of-life/ (“America: A Rich Tapestry Of Life”) (see also the footnotes and comments beneath the article)
We elected Barack Obama, whom lots of Americans hate today; and before him, we elected George W. Bush whom people hated too. He was preceded by Bill Clinton, whom people tried to impeach and remove from the presidency. Lyndon Johnson was hated too, and he was followed by Richard Nixon who was hated and forced to resign.
Clearly, our political system has “checks and balances,” and we elect presidents and then throw them out of office. Lyndon Johnson could not run for reelection; and it is not inconceivable that the same thing might happen to Barack Obama between now and next year’s elections.
We veer from conservatism to liberalism, and then back again. Reaganism was followed by Bill Clinton’s liberalism, which was followed by George W. Bush’s conservatism . . . and then by Obama’s liberalism.
MSNBC has reported:
See http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43385259/ns/today-today_news; see also http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/09/24/washington-is-sick-and-the-american-people-know-it/#comment-1635 and http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/09/24/washington-is-sick-and-the-american-people-know-it/#comment-1636 and http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/09/24/washington-is-sick-and-the-american-people-know-it/#comment-1643 and http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/09/24/washington-is-sick-and-the-american-people-know-it/#comment-1644
As with this issue and so many others, Obama is America’s “Hamlet” on the Potomac. He is betwixt and between, unable to do what is right. He should be calling for Weiner’s immediate resignation in no uncertain terms on moral grounds, just as Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer—the Democrats’ No. 1 and 2 leaders in the House—and other party leaders have done.
See, e.g., http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2003475/Anthony-Weiner-fate-decided-Democrats-Huma-Abedin-flies-in.html (“‘You MUST go’: Pelosi repeats calls for Weiner’s resignation as wife flies in to confront errant husband”)
Instead, Obama equivocates. We can only assume that if he finds himself in a comparable or similar situation, he will do the honorable thing and resign like Richard Nixon did. Indeed, at some point in the future, he may be tested. Also, there is the possibility that Obama might not run for reelection, just as Lyndon Johnson decided during the Vietnam War.
Obama is in the midst of four wars, and an economic depression; and it is not beyond the pale to believe that he is reviewing internal polling that paints a bleak picture of the campaign ahead—or other factors might influence his decision not to run. If so, he will likely retreat to either Chicago or Hawaii prior to January of 2013, to write his memoirs and work full time on his golf scores and presidential library.
See, e.g., http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Analysis/de-Borchgrave/2011/06/13/Commentary-Half-pregnant-strategy/UPI-97361307964099/ (“Today, President Obama has got the United States involved in four wars: Afghanistan, Iraq (where U.S. troops are still being killed), Libya and Yemen (where the confusion of a civil war gave U.S. drones open skies to target al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula)”) and http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/barack-obama-is-a-lame-duck-president-who-will-not-be-reelected/#comment-1637 (“CNN Poll: Obama Approval Rating Drops As Fears Of Depression Rise”)
Indeed, the Associated Press has reported:
See http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110614/ap_on_re_us/us_obama_family_1 (“Obama: My family would be fine with just 1 term”)
Stay tuned, as the American saga continues . . .
America Is Losing Its Grip
This is the grim warning of outgoing Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. His admonitions continue:
See http://www.newsweek.com/2011/06/19/the-defense-rests.html?om_rid=NsfkQq&om_mid=_BN-f69B8bzy3X1
America’s “prince of darkness”—or its “Hamlet on the Potomac” and “Jimmy Carter-lite”—Barack Obama is doing everything in his power to destroy our military might, after having added dramatically to our nation’s budget deficit that is sapping our economic vitality and strength. He would have the United States become a UK militarily, or worse, which is why he is sending Leon Panetta to the Pentagon, to “gut” it.
See, e.g., http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/09/27/the-economic-tsunami-continues-its-relentless-and-unforgiving-advance-globally/#comment-1591 (“Sun Setting On British Power”)
Ronald Reagan encountered Obama’s negativism when he came to the White House in the wake of Carter’s presidency; and he turned our ship of state around, and changed the course of history. Our enemy, the once-mighty Soviet Union, collapsed and is gone today; and America has reigned supreme ever since, as the world’s only superpower.
Accordingly, Obama must be sent packing either to Chicago or Hawaii no later than January of 2013, to write his memoirs and work full time on his presidential library. He a tragic Shakespearean figure who will be forgotten and consigned to the dustheap of history, like Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter before him—unless he tragically alters the course of American history.
Came across your blog from a comment you posted on the Daily Telegraph website.
I am not American, but I visited America in 2005.
I’ve got a few comments.
1. American is a nation of hardworking and resourceful people uniquely blessed by God. Please understand that Americans are not the only hardworking or resourceful people on Earth, so America does not have a divine right to perpetual no.1 status.
2. These are no longer the eighties. Reagan had a binary choice (Communism vs Capitalism), the stakes today are a little more complex – the US is facing competition on many fronts – economic, ideology, soft power.
3. The last well thought-out strategy America had towards engagement with the rest of the World was penned by George Kennan in 1947. The Cold War is over and the over-militarisation of foreign policy that worked during the last fifty years, will not work today.
4. America needs a new strategy for engagement with the rest of the World. She should be in the business of creating global opportunities and benefiting from them, not merely reacting to threats and perceived threats.
5. China is now Brazil’s largest trading partner and the Brazilian economy is on track to exceed the economies of France and Great Britain. If the Chinese are competitive in your backyard then your “exceptionalism” is less exceptional than you make it out to be.
6. It is true that millions of people want to travel to America to build a new life. But out of every thousand that apply for visas to travel to the US, 999 will never get there. The other 999 will go on to build their careers outside the US (they will seek opportunities in Europe, Dubai, India and their home countries).
7. The last set of people to claim superiority over the rest of mankind with justification were the British. Visit Britain to catch a glimpse of America’s fate.
8. None of the jokers in the Republican party has a clue about what to do.
Thank you for your comments.
First, let me start with the next to last one. Americans do not claim superiority over the rest of mankind. It is against our grain.
Second, we have been blessed beyond belief, and with those blessings come responsibilities galore. Many of those responsibilities, Americans do not want.
Third, I am not a Republican or a Democrat, but I believe the GOP has more answers than the Democrats, of which I used to be one.
Fourth, Barack Obama is finished as America’s president. He will be gone no later than January of 2013.
See http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/barack-obama-is-a-lame-duck-president-who-will-not-be-reelected/ (see also the footnotes and all of the comments beneath the article)
Fifth, America does not have a “divine right” to anything, period, or so I believe. No other country has.
Sixth, I agree with your fourth point.
Lastly, I have written about your sixth point—and most of the rest of them too.
See, e.g., http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/30/illegal-immigration-the-solution-is-simple/
Los Angeles, Mexico
This is the title of an article at one of the Tea Party Web sites, which is worth reading because it reflects the beliefs—and yes, deep-seated prejudices—of lots of Americans. There is no question that illegal immigration has gotten out of hand, and our country is being changed by it.
See http://www.teapartynation.com/forum/topics/los-angeles-mexico
My views with respect to the article are as follows:
The Future Still Belongs To America
This is the title of an important Wall Street Journal article by Professor Walter Russell Mead—subtitled, “This century will throw challenges at everyone[, but the] U.S. is better positioned to adapt than China, Europe or the Arab world”—which states in pertinent part the following:
See http://www.naegele.com/documents/TheFutureStillBelongstoAmerica.pdf (bold emphasis added); see also http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/02/26/america-a-rich-tapestry-of-life (“America: A Rich Tapestry Of Life”)
The only thing on the horizon that might dampen the American future that Professor Mead has described is a nation-ending EMP Attack, which might kill all except for 30 million Americans, and end any future that we might envision.
Query whether we are totally and absolutely protected against such an attack, or whether America’s “prince of darkness”—and its consummate narcissistic demagogue, “Hamlet on the Potomac” and “Jimmy Carter-lite”—Barack Obama, is weakening our great nation’s military strength in ways that will dramatically change the course of history?
See http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/emp-attack-only-30-million-americans-survive/; see also http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/barack-obama-is-a-lame-duck-president-who-will-not-be-reelected/
. . .
In another important article entitled, “World power swings back to America”—and subtitled, “The American phoenix is slowly rising again. Within five years or so, the US will be well on its way to self-sufficiency in fuel and energy. Manufacturing will have closed the labour gap with China in a clutch of key industries. The current account might even be in surplus”—the UK Telegraph‘s Ambrose Evans-Pritchard added:
See http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans_pritchard/8844646/World-power-swings-back-to-America.html (emphasis added)
It is noteworthy that Evans-Pritchard qualifies his predictions by saying that they will occur in “five years or so.” I concur that America has a very bright future ahead; however, this decade will be “dicey,” and it is difficult if not impossible to predict when there will be light at the end of the tunnel—or when the economic tsunami will have run its course and petered out. What we do know is that the Great Depression of the last century did not end until the onset of World War II, at the earliest; and this depression may last just as long.
Lastly, Russia will continue to be a pygmy when compared to the United States—in terms of America’s vibrant democracy, its growth, military power and economic strength, and all other indicia of global power. The same will be true, to a similar degree, with respect to China, although its future is much brighter than that of Russia.
See, e.g., http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2063117/U-S-Army-tests-hypersonic-weapon-travels-times-speed-sound–ANYWHERE-earth-30mins.html (“U.S. Army tests hypersonic weapon that travels five times the speed of sound… and can hit ANY target on earth in 30mins”)
Before attending mass this evening, I decided to wear patriotic clothing in honor of our Country’s 4th of July holiday. Not too flashy, but my red top had a small American flag embroidered on it. During the “kiss of peace” I turned to shake hands and while doing so, an older man said, “I like your red top with the flag on it.” I said that I was celebrating our country’s freedom, and he had tears in his eyes as he said, ” I wish I had a top like yours.” I quietly asked him if he had been a soldier and he nodded yes. I quickly thanked him for serving our country and returned to my service.
How it struck me that one person can and often does make a difference in our lives. For me that is what living in America is all about. I could see the age lines of this man, but I also saw the great love and devotion he held for our country. I wondered what he had gone through as a young soldier and where he was stationed. I probably will never see him again, but the connection of what the flag meant to both of us was real, although it probably meant different gratitudes to Him.
Thank you for writing about the American spirit. Others in foreign countries have dreams and some even come true, but only in America can the most seemingly insignificant person rise up and become what he or she espouses to be. A few months ago I read the book, “Mao’s Last Dancer,” about a Chinese man who just happened to be chosen to dance under the most grueling of circumstances. He later defected to the US, and of course was forbidden contact or any association with his Chinese family.
Due to performing in Houston and meeting Barbara Bush, who through her husband could try to make some connections in China, he was able to visit his family after not seeing them for 16 years. (During that span of time, his parents were awarded time to visit him here, but only for a while and how he longed to see his siblings and extended family, as well as his home town) This took place prior to GHWB becoming President.
When at last he was able to take his wife to his homeland and be with his family, he had time to show them how he could dance, talk with them and get down to truths that were difficult to realize, but that is the way it was. It didn’t matter how many modern appliances he sent his family or how he could try to improve on their living conditions, there still was something lacking. This is a page that touched me. Maybe it will touch a nerve for many others as we celebrate our FREEDOM:
The Death Of America?
In an important article entitled, “Democrats’ ideal voter: Illegal alien, convicted felon,” conservative Ann Coulter has written:
See http://www.humanevents.com/2012/07/18/ann-coulter-democrats-ideal-voter-illegal-alien-single-mother-convicted-felon/(emphasis added); see also http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/30/illegal-immigration-the-solution-is-simple/ (“Illegal Immigration: The Solution Is Simple”) and http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/02/26/america-a-rich-tapestry-of-life/#comment-1688 (“The Future Still Belongs To America”)
Mexico Reclaims California!
In an article entitled, “California’s Hispanic population to outnumber whites by end of 2013,” the UK’s Daily Mail reported:
See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2265134/California-Hispanic-population-exceed-whites-end-2013.html
California has a rich Hispanic heritage that is reflected in its beautiful Missions—which stretch from San Diego in the south, to the lovely town of Sonoma in the north—in the names of its cities, towns and roads; in its wonderful Mexican food; and in the smiling, hard-working Hispanics who contribute to California’s culture and economy.
See, e.g., http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_missions_in_California (“Spanish missions in California”); but see http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/30/illegal-immigration-the-solution-is-simple/
A Nation Of Freaks?
Driving up the always-beautiful California Coast yesterday afternoon, I was changing car radio stations and I happened on a “public service announcement” about “gender neutral” bathrooms for transvestites, and having a Web site that lists the “safe ones” for such people.
On TV last night, there were shows about tattoos, which glorified the horrors of them; other celebrity “worship” shows; CNN’s British Piers Morgan trying to project his anti-American views on U.S. audiences, amidst falling viewer ratings; and of course predominantly non-white shows, when the vast majority of Americans are Caucasians.
This morning, Matt Drudge announced online that “4 gay NFL players could come out on [the] same day,” soon.
In a sense, the inmates have taken over the asylum, and they are reveling in Barack Obama’s reelection victory last November. After all, he is a “freak” too, and admittedly so. Aside from wanting to ban guns that may protect our lives in the years ahead, he has already acknowledged that he was an out-and-out druggie in college: “Junkie. Pothead. That’s where I’d been headed: the final, fatal role of the young would-be black man.”
Clearly, we do not live in an “I Love Lucy,” “Leave It To Beaver,” or “Mary Poppins” fantasy world, especially when North Korea is threatening to nuke us. However, letting the inmates run “the asylum” is pure madness too.
It is time to take back our great country. And no—as the only true “melting pot” on the face of this earth—America is not a racist nation!