Comments on: Consider This, America.

Consider This, America.

owillis — Sun, 06 Jan 2002 13:20:57 -0800

Consider This, America. The Washington Post has nine editorials from around the world on how America should use it's current bully pulpit: Uganda on tunnel vision, Germany on "softly flexing" muscles, Mexico on energy and labor, Canada on women's rights, Peru on capitalism/property rights, Japan against unilateralism, England encourages being a "real" superpower, while Pakistan wants us to be balanced. Sage words of advice, or more finger wagging from the global set?

By: Postroad

Postroad — Sun, 06 Jan 2002 14:01:12 -0800

Ok. Whatever they want. We will see to it pronto. But there are other countries we have yet to hear from. What can we do to please them?

By: Steven Den Beste

Steven Den Beste — Sun, 06 Jan 2002 14:09:29 -0800

I vote "finger wagging".

By: Steven Den Beste

Steven Den Beste — Sun, 06 Jan 2002 14:10:09 -0800

Crap. I linked the wrong thing. It should have been this.

By: MiguelCardoso

MiguelCardoso — Sun, 06 Jan 2002 14:16:27 -0800

Oh right... Like Germany is historically known for the softness of its muscle-flexing; Mexico for its amphetamine-like energetic labor, Peru for being the very model of rights-respecting capitalism in action; Japan for its universality and desire of embracing the world; and Pakistan for its unwavering striving for balance in all things political and religious. Puuuuleeeze! If I were the U.S. I'd politely recommend these countries take their own advice. OK, listen to Canada, but responding(chewing gum in mouth essential for full effect) "yeah, yeah, yeah, sure thing, buddy" and to the UK, going "quite right, old chap, quite right, so glad you brought that up, I'll see to it at once..." And then go back to whatever it's been doing. America's doing fine, thank you very much. And I'm not even American. The nerve of these people!* *Those people at the freakin' Washington Post of course...

By: acridrabbit

acridrabbit — Sun, 06 Jan 2002 14:25:15 -0800

I liked the series. Just finished reading every one of them. The most interesting thing I read was at the end of Japan's article: "... the results of a 24-nation poll conducted late last year by the International Herald Tribune with the Pew Research Center: U.S. policy and action was given as the main cause of international terrorism by 18 percent of Americans vs. 58 percent of foreigners." I hadn't heard about that poll.

By: X-00

X-00 — Sun, 06 Jan 2002 14:37:07 -0800

here acridrabbit I'm sure its been posted before?

By: lbergstr

lbergstr — Sun, 06 Jan 2002 15:01:06 -0800

I really like what I know about Hernando de Soto (economist who wrote the Peru article) and his ideas. The type of bottom-up reform that he prescribes for developing nations seems exactly right to me. Has anybody read his book?

By: geoff.

geoff. — Sun, 06 Jan 2002 15:08:17 -0800

Steven we you linked to your local host address.

By: acridrabbit

acridrabbit — Sun, 06 Jan 2002 15:08:49 -0800

Thanks, X-00. lbergstr: I agree. I hadn't ever thought about property rights (or lack thereof) being an issue in spreading capitalism, but of course it makes total sense. I wonder what on earth the US could do to help that problem, though.

By: Steven Den Beste

Steven Den Beste — Sun, 06 Jan 2002 16:14:54 -0800

Sigh. I'm an idiot today. OK, one more time: here's the comment I wrote this morning about those 9 editorials. And that IHT poll was a crock.

By: Kevs

Kevs — Sun, 06 Jan 2002 20:34:47 -0800

lber... De Soto is quite on the left, but even I agree with his basic premise. Pretty much, countries with stable governments and respect for property rights succeed in turning their capital into growth, and countries that don't fail. I don't know where the debate even comes from here: No country needs more aid, they just need less robbery from the government and a lessening of the "business-is-evil" attitude.

By: Jimbob

Jimbob — Mon, 07 Jan 2002 00:07:05 -0800

"Global Set"? Is not a "Set" a smaller part of something? It may come as a suprise to many United-Statesiens, but you are the MINORITY. You've got, what, 300 million people? The earth has 6 billion! It's hardly the "global set" finger wagging, it's the vast majority trying to pull the minority back into line.

By: skyline

skyline — Mon, 07 Jan 2002 00:23:58 -0800

Nine authors is hardly a majority of the global population, Jimbob.

By: dong_resin

dong_resin — Mon, 07 Jan 2002 00:41:53 -0800

US : "Omigod! Like, you've totally confused me with a superpower that gives a fuck!" THEM : "America! Baby, wait...."

By: DaRiLo

DaRiLo — Mon, 07 Jan 2002 01:39:02 -0800

Well! That's the last time I vote for Hugo Young as my representative. Newspaper columnists criticise another nations foreign policy. The Nerve!

By: darukaru

darukaru — Mon, 07 Jan 2002 06:09:53 -0800

Boy, I'd love to see the world where the minority always shuts up and gets back into line when the majority tells it to. I bet that would be a wonderful place to live.

By: Jimbob

Jimbob — Mon, 07 Jan 2002 06:24:47 -0800

Jimbob takes his foot and stuffs it firmly in his mouth. As usual. Y'all should still listen to people outside yr own borders, however.

By: asok

asok — Mon, 07 Jan 2002 06:54:21 -0800

i agree jimbob. I enjoy reading and listening to opinions formed by people outside my usual parochial sphere. This helps me understand where i fit into the greater picture, illuminating topics with strange new perspectives that i could not provide myself.

By: revbrian

revbrian — Mon, 07 Jan 2002 09:20:54 -0800

["quite right, old chap, quite right, so glad you brought that up, I'll see to it at once..."] Did anyone else read this in a James Mason voice? Thanks for the laugh Miguel!