America rocks:
Love it, hate it, embrace it, deny it, American power, American influence and American values are the defining features of today's interconnected world.
Questions of an American "empire" — whether we have one, whether we want one, whether we can afford or keep one — aren't just the white-hot topic of the day among statesmen and political scientists.
The world really is becoming more "American."
I was never so thrilled as when I walked into the crowd at the Philadelphia airport after three years of being overseas. Seeing hundreds of sneaker-clad feet meant I was home.
The world will always want what our Founding Fathers built for us. It's not our pop-culture exports that matter, but the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that we offer the world. These resonate with every human being of good will.
Of course now I don't have the script with me so I can't quote it. But all this stuff keeps reminding me of one of the scenes from Monty Python's Life of Brian, where they're sitting in a hovel complaining about the Romans. "What have the Romans done for us?" Well, the built roads. "Yeah, but--" and the aqueduct. And sewers. And they brought medicine. "Okay, yeah--they did all that. But aside from that, WHAT HAVE THEY DONE FOR US?!"
Two thousand years later, you still have the roads, a basis in medicine, the sewers, the aqueduct...
Posted by: James at December 27, 2004 12:49 PMBut they also taxed the living hell out of people and were a bit oppressive, James.
Posted by: Donnah at December 28, 2004 10:05 AMRather like the New Deal, you say?
Posted by: James at December 28, 2004 10:47 AMLOL. Good one.
Posted by: Donnah at December 28, 2004 11:01 AM