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Date Posted: 09:19:28 09/03/02 Tue
Author: Richard
Author Host/IP: 1Cust233.tnt4.gainesville.fl.da.uu.net / 67.243.56.233
Subject: Are Republicans' days really numbered?

Hello everyone,

I hope all is well with everyone.

An article, published in The Guardian, was brought to my attention recently. You can read it for yourself at,

Relax, the Republicans' days are numbered.

The Guardian is typically anti-American and particularly anti-Republican. So it is no surprise to read various criticisms of the current Administration, American foreign policy, and just Americans in general. The article begins by pointing out that the State Department is holding a closed door conference to discuss various anti-American attitudes worldwide. The attitude is as though we as Americans are just waking up to some fact the rest of the world has known for years. Being a world leader and super-power means you will have enemies, no matter what your policies, actions, attitudes, or religious ideas. But America has always been concerned about its relationship with other countries and cultures, as noted in the best selling book, "The Ugly American". It was written in the 1950's and there have been many variations since then. I wonder if the Britons were as concerned about our foreign image when we made it possible for their limited military to retake the Faulkland islands?

The author takes that argument and links it to a book he likes, "The Emerging Democratic Majority." The theme seems to be that America isn't one hegemonic society. As a nation of 300 million people, made up of immigrants from all over the globe, I wonder when that revelation hit him? Specifically he says, "The US is much better understood as multifarious and dynamic, divided on gender, educational, race and regional lines".

The lecture continues as he explains yet another political failing of President Bush: "What makes George Bush significant is that he is attempting to govern as though these divisions do not really exist". And sums up his treatise by explaining that we colonials should take heart. With a few small changes, things would improve immensely:
We in Britain seem at times to have persuaded ourselves that America is a land inhabited by crazy people and governed by buffoons. But we make fun of them at our peril. If Judis and Teixeira are right, America could prove itself to be a land of rather sensible people governed by smart modern pragmatists. The implications are rather reassuring.

The America we think we know is not the new America that is emerging in the 21st century. This poses a challenge to reflexive anti-American stereotypes. It also cautions against the temptation, on both sides of the Atlantic, to pretend that America and the rest of the world are engaged in an apocalyptic struggle on behalf of good and evil. That isn't the case either. The real America is more ordinary, more normal and more sensible - and getting more so every day. The problem with America is its government. What they, and we, need is regime change.


Indeed? Allow me to conclude my thoughts. England has a rich history, full of tradition for which they can be very proud. Much of our law and government are rooted in the early experiments of English self government. But for the Britons to lecture us as to our place as a world power is much like a senile uncle lecturing his nieces and nephews on management of the family estate. We have arrived at our current place with the help of the maps we were provided by our antecedents. But 'WE' arrived, not they. 'WE' have made ourselves into a world leader. They didn't coronate us. 'WE' are more than capable of handling our own affairs which includes our foreign relations. 'WE' appreciate any and all advice and will take it under advisement before 'WE' decide what's best for America.

Richard

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