I have lived in Middle America for 68 years. It has changed.
Craig/Gatun is right: America has become a nation of sheep who elect the obvious dictator and then cry because he is not dictatorial enough. They elected a benevolent tyrant and are now angry because he has admitted there are Constitutional restraints on his tyranny. So, now they want to remove those restraints. They also want him to be overtly partisan in his so-called benevolence.
I was in the Pacific in 2000. At every Customs checkpoint, we were teased by the officials: “Who is your President?”, as they laughed. I spent every November between 1987 and 1998 in the Caribbean and met many Europeans. They all loved Clinton, only a few understood what the changes they wished in American foreign policy would really mean for them. By 1998, the attitudes against Americans and Europeans were hardening even in the tourism-dependent and foreign aid-dependent Netherlands Antilles. And the US/EU tourists? They were mostly unaware of the situation, but if you spoke with them, they were also mostly anti-republican (small *r*) and pro-socialist democracy.
I am sorry, in more ways than one, but Middle America will take the path of least resistance, keep its collective head down and stifle any overt criticism of the regime in power, unless it is Republican or Conservative. Whatever they may believe in private, people evince the conviction that they cannot win against the Left. Where I live, every family has a public service or teacher union member. Most back them. Where they don’t, it is shattering the families, as the union members cannot be reasoned with and hold their personal gain above their familial connections.
Personally, I am not only angry and disappointed, I am quite anxious for the future, here. The heart of America is faint and becoming fainter. Yes, when surrounded by like-minded people, these conservatives are angry, but most of them are self-employed or professionals who are being closely watched by the institutions for which they work and they have learned to shut up, in self-protection. More and more openly leftist people have moved here and inserted themselves into the daily running of our counties, townships and villages. And the conservatives? We do not run for office, not even school board, because we have learned that to do so will impact our businesses, our children and our social networks to our detriment.
Yep, I lost count of the people who said they wouldn’t get active because it might offend their clients or customers.
Used to be afraid. Now it is open talk at the water cooler, in the cubes and in the halls.
Thank you, reform.
Among other things of which you have advantage over others, is you travel to other countries. Again, I read here on FR only 10% of U.S. citizens have U.S. passports. No one travels. Traveling is an education no one learns by staying home.
By the way, if you ever feel the need to leave the U.S., Panama is the perfect paradise.
1. The expansion of the canal is on schedule.
2. Petrol is seeping out of the ground near the Colombian boarder.
3. There is a copper mine over in the western part of Panama.
If you are near retirement age or are retired, Panama makes it very easy for you to move here.
Smith