Dream On America

Newsweek ^ | Jan 31 | Andrew Moravcsik

[optik_b]

Jan. 31 issue - Not long ago, the American dream was a global fantasy. Not only Americans saw themselves as a beacon unto nations. So did much of the rest of the world. East Europeans tuned into Radio Free Europe. Chinese students erected a replica of the Statue of Liberty in Tiananmen Square.

You had only to listen to George W. Bush's Inaugural Address last week (invoking "freedom" and "liberty" 49 times) to appreciate just how deeply Americans still believe in this founding myth. For many in the world, the president's rhetoric confirmed their worst fears of an imperial America relentlessly pursuing its narrow national interests. But the greater danger may be a delusional America—one that believes, despite all evidence to the contrary, that the American Dream lives on, that America remains a model for the world, one whose mission is to spread the word.

The gulf between how Americans view themselves and how the world views them was summed up in a poll last week by the BBC. Fully 71 percent of Americans see the United States as a source of good in the world. More than half view Bush's election as positive for global security. Other studies report that 70 percent have faith in their domestic institutions and nearly 80 percent believe "American ideas and customs" should spread globally.

[optik_b]

Virulent anti-american screed in the latest issue of Newsweek international. Click on the link to read the full story.

[jimbo123]

Author can be reached here:

moravcs@fas.harvard.edu

[Red Badger]

SPEWING HUGE CHUNKS BARF ALERT!.......

[Phantom Lord]

I find it amazing that an inaugural address about FREEDOM by the President of the United States needs to be defended and explained over and over and over.

[Dead Dog]

So, then, the question is: What's wrong with the American Dream. It is better now then it has ever been. I'd argued with some Irish folks for a week that the soup lines in 2003 were not filled with the "average" American. They wouldn't believe it. In there eyes, Bush had ruined America for generations. There problem is that they have VERY limited TV, and the socialists seem to own their websites.

[speedy]

I'll believe this crap when there are more people leaving the US than trying to get in. I swear, these guys just make stuff up.

[Mister Baredog]

They're in a pique since their boy sKerry lost. Newsweak isn't even adequate for lining the bird cage, I save the LA Slimes for that.

[philsfan24]

the only one dreaming is Andrew Moravcsik. this article is hilarious.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Only Poland, the Philippines and India viewed Bush's second Inaugural positively.

Let's see.... The Philippines and India are two countries dealing with major Al-Qaeda-related terrorism. Poland and India are two of the rising democracies of the 21st century.

If we're going to have just a few friends, I can think of a lot worse friends to have.

[philsfan24]

he goes on to say that american healthcare is on par with cuba. hes right... i went to the doctor the other day for my broken arm and he prescribed a bandaid. [/sarcasm]

[SMARTY]

"... the president's rhetoric confirmed their worst fears of an imperial America relentlessly pursuing its narrow national interests."

I have heard this so much that I am sick of it. I don't understand how these people can assert that the US would/could attempt to overthrow legitimate governments who do not pose a threat to their own citizens or others in the world. The emphasis here is on the word legitimate.

Can they be talking about the US? The US, which after both World Wars buried their dead overseas, asked for and rarely got a thank you, packed up and went home. The US which did not gain and in fact lost dearly in our involvement with peacekeeping in Europe, Asia and elsewhere on this planet.

Are they talking about the US (then or presently) which could in an instant overwhelm ANY power on earth and set up the 'imperialist' nightmare they so often and foolishly accuse America of coveting for itself? Who could EVER withstand the US military if in fact that is the aim of this administration?

Lastly, why do these clowns flatter themselves that the US would want to get and keep for ourselves their backward, weak, undeveloped, perpetually at strife and worthless countries? What do ANY of them possess (in and of themselves) that we cannot get, make or pay for on our own, as we ALWAYS have?

[dead]

In the United States, inequality once seemed tolerable because America was the land of equal opportunity. But this is no longer so. Two decades ago, a U.S. CEO earned 39 times the average worker; today he pulls in 1,000 times as much.

Some people once thought that apples were better than oranges, but this is no longer so. Two decades ago, the average shortstop batted .220, today he’s hitting almost .310.

[pfony1]

No doubt the dire conditions in the US explain the long lines of refugees at our border to Mexico seeking to get out.

Oh... What's that? Those refugees are seeking to get IN?

Never mind...

[MEG33]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1329702/posts
Mark Steyn (to settle the stomach after reading this screed.)

[RightWingAtheist]

[PLK]

he goes on to say that american healthcare is on par with cuba. hes right... i went to the doctor the other day for my broken arm and he prescribed a bandaid. [/sarcasm]

You have to understand what the socialists' definition of "quality" health care is; to them, it means ACCESS. That's the buzzword for socialized medicine.

I attended a research colloquium meeting yesterday at our local university. The topic was "cultural competence" in providing health care. It was put on and attended by MD's and PhD nurses. Anyway, instead of discussing how to provide good care by taking into account cultural differences in patients (what I thought the topic was going to be), the afternoon was spend tossing around the topic of "distributive justice" and health care.

These people will NOT be content until they are placed on a 6 month waiting list to see a surgeon for their malignant breast tumors and enlarged prostates! Arghhhhh .............

[trisham]

The gulf between how Americans view themselves and how the world views them was summed up in a poll last week by the BBC. Fully 71 percent of Americans see the United States as a source of good in the world.

******************

That figure should be higher. Still, Europe must be experiencing a fainting spell knowing that so many Americans feel good about their country.

[massgopguy]

Here's a Q-Tip. Now go home and die.

But, they'll never see a bill.

[scottywr]

I'm really at a loss as to when America was branded as imperialist. Do liberals need a bacic course in world history? The soviets were true imperialists, The Red Chinese are true imperialists.

Germany and Japan are the result of true Americam generosity and forgivneness. I suppose we could have imposed ourselves on Kuwait after Gulf War 1, but we gladly left and if I recall, we didn't even demand special favors with their oil.

I guess Colin Powell summed up American Imperialism rather well when he told the French "All we have ever asked for is enough land to bury our dead."

[Cicero]

In the race to the bottom, Newsweak is taking the lead.