USA "Magic is over" says this french guy. (1 Viewer)

FWtex

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http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/12/europe/france.php

I admit the USA has taken a hit over the last several years but in my opinion this is a normal cycle countries go through. Yes the world has changed, but its only a matter of time before the US adapts.

For the next Administration I would hope they adjust the US to this "new World" and require other countries to start footing the bill for world peace. I would like to see us curtail spending abroad, campaign for the European nations to increase their humanitarian spending, and have the US reinvest its tax dollars in home issues.

Do you think its time to draw back some from the international scene in order to strengthen our core?
 
It has always been my belief that as the most powerful force of Democracy on the planet we have to take a leadership role in the world when it comes to things like settling disputes and fostering peace. Also, as a nation of revolution, I whole-heartedly believe we not only have the right, but the obligation to assist all people who seek to achieve Liberty. Anytime a group of people seek to cast off the yoke of despotism and fight for their freedom, I would have no problem sacrificing my life or the lives of other Americans to aid them in their quest.

The problem though, is when we make that descion for them. Liberty, without the drive or desire to fight and die for it is meaningless. The Iraqi people themselves have to decide whether they will accept the responsibilty of freedom, and the consequences it brings. We cannot learn that lesson for them.

The rest of the world can give us as hard a time about our foriegn policy as they want to. Their opinion is irrelevant. I garuntee you most people living in fear of persecution lay awake at night dreaming of America and the Statue of Liberty. That will never change, no matter how terrible a president Bush has been. We are a nation united by a concept. That concept, the idea that all men are equal. The idea that inividual rights and personal liberty are something worth sacrificing lives to protect will never vanish. That is America, that concept. And that concept is more powerful than any one man. That concept will exist millenia after mankind has forgotten what the United States of America were.
 
If the "magic is over", why is the world still so dependent on our over-extended economic system?

If the "magic is over", why is the U.S. at the forefront of every humanitarian effort around the globe?

If the "magic is over", why is the U.S. still the destination of those seeking a better life from abroad?

I could go on and on.

No doubt we can do better -- but to hear it from a representative of a nation that would have ceased to exist had it not been for U.S. help is an insult.
 
Likewise, we would not exist without them either. I think we have both earned to right to call each other on our failings.
 
True enough, but the Gross National Product of France is still less than that of the State of California...just sayin'. :rolleyes:
 
Whoops! France has updated their numbers.

California GDP 2006, about $1.7 trillion
France GDP 2008, approximately $2 trillion

Still...2008 GDP comparison map says...

http://matthewyglesias.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/01/gdp_map.php

gdpmap.jpg
 
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/12/europe/france.php

I admit the USA has taken a hit over the last several years but in my opinion this is a normal cycle countries go through. Yes the world has changed, but its only a matter of time before the US adapts.

For the next Administration I would hope they adjust the US to this "new World" and require other countries to start footing the bill for world peace. I would like to see us curtail spending abroad, campaign for the European nations to increase their humanitarian spending, and have the US reinvest its tax dollars in home issues.

Do you think its time to draw back some from the international scene in order to strengthen our core?

Unquestionably.

"World peace" is a mirage. Our first responsibility is to ourselves and our children and grandchildren.

Beyond that, if the rest of the world wants to put together a genuinely mulitlateral and burden shared effort to address issues I'd be fine with contributing equitably.

Unfortunately the notion of "collective security" is not new and appears to be ineffective. The world has tried it twice with the League of Nationa and the U.N. Both organizations ultimately became hamstrung by politics and agendas (emanting from almost all members including us).

U.S. unilateralism has worked little better in pursuit of "peace" and has left the taxpayer burdened and militarized our economy and subjected our poltical system to graft doled out by lobbyists:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdrGKwkmxAU

Time to ref-focus on what made America great: minding our business and building better mousetraps than anyone else.
 
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If the "magic is over", why is the world still so dependent on our over-extended economic system?

If the "magic is over", why is the U.S. at the forefront of every humanitarian effort around the globe?

If the "magic is over", why is the U.S. still the destination of those seeking a better life from abroad?

I could go on and on.

No doubt we can do better -- but to hear it from a representative of a nation that would have ceased to exist had it not been for U.S. help is an insult.

The problem is tha all these efforts are now funded by debt and by simply printing money. The core of the economy is now a Ponzi scheme centered on Wall Street.

We have been smart enough to cut in the Chinese and the Europeans so that theyhave a vested interest in the status quo. But the continuation of this is now beyond our eclusive control. It is completely dependent on the rest of the world lending us money and recycling their dollars.

If tomorrow China decides to stop lending to, or even to cut lending in half it all collapses. That is not a sustainable system. That is not being in control of your destiny.

Murphy's law will assert itself eventually.
 
True enough, but the Gross National Product of France is still less than that of the State of California...just sayin'. :rolleyes:

What exactly are you saying?

That your opinion carries weight accoring to your net wealth?

I've often suspected that is how our representative government actually works.
 
What exactly are you saying?

That your opinion carries weight accoring to your net wealth?

I've often suspected that is how our representative government actually works.

A Frenchman saying the "USA Magic is over is" is like an ant saying that elephants are overrated. :hihi:
 
The problem is tha all these efforts are now funded by debt and by simply printing money. The core of the economy is now a Ponzi scheme centered on Wall Street.

We have been smart enough to cut in the Chinese and the Europeans so that theyhave a vested interest in the status quo. But the continuation of this is now beyond our eclusive control. It is completely dependent on the rest of the world lending us money and recycling their dollars.

If tomorrow China decides to stop lending to, or even to cut lending in half it all collapses. That is not a sustainable system. That is not being in control of your destiny.

Murphy's law will assert itself eventually.

I totally agree that we will bankrupt ourselves if we don't change our policies. In fact, it may already be too late.

But we are still doing a lot of good for the world that no one else is doing. It may be comprable to giving money you really can't afford to give to a deadbeat relative, but if you don't do it, nobody else will and that person will suffer/die.

France, on the other hand, doesn't have these problems -- mainly because it's standing in the world is just as overstated as our economic system. Its position on the U.N. Security Council is just as big a joke as our credit policies.

My point is that France's officials are almost always hypocritical or insulting to the U.S. when they speak publicly.
 
My point is that France's officials are almost always hypocritical or insulting to the U.S. when they speak publicly.

I'm not sure exactly when or how this started, but it is exactly the same thing from our own politicians.

Both sides jab each other constantly.

I think it stems from the fact that the we and French are almost exactly alike tempermentally: we both think we know best and that the other is incompetent.

The result is constant friction.
 
There was a comedian I saw one time who's name evades me. He was talking about America's allies as though they were buddies who you invite to your house. When he got to France he said (paraphrasing) France is that buddy who you go way back with. Sure sometimes he is a total snob, but there is no one better to get drunk with. He is always polite, always has a story, and you generally have a great time together. . . you just never, ever leave him alone with your wife or daughter.
 

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