In Europe, some Americans are referring to themselves as "Canadians". Quite strange, since I often hear from friends in the States how lucky I am for being in Europe, particularly Portugal. Lucky me. I was thinking about that today, that and in the (distant) future putting around as an old man over here. . . What that may be like. . . Really, so bad? No, but it ain't my country. I'll never belong here, will always be an outsider.
What has happened in America? Hell if I know. It ain't like this all could have been part of some "great plan" - collapse of America? Maybe rather contingent. The result of a whole lot of bad decisions made in a certain sequence, involving various materialist interests? Could you boil it all down to that?
Would you want to, or rather just think of it all as more of an accident, a trainwreck?. . . only problem with that one is of course who exactly we had driving our train. . . not to mention the metaphor's limits in describing the geo-strategic fiasco we have brought upon ourselves.
Add to this, Bush has no credibility ouside the US. Even inside the US it is weakening, although he still obviously has the Wurlitzer. The NSA report in the NYT had been held back for a year. The article itself is lackluster. Echelon covers this type of survaillance. This is the opposition? Once again, career civil servants, no political representatives.
Outside America, the world is reorganizing itself in ways that we only negatively influence. Nobody really trusts us any more, and for good reason. One really feels strange identifying oneself as an American at this point in time . . . many have become "Canadians", but not me. . . no never. . . Northeast Texas . . a stronghold of the Demo party historically . . . radical New Dealers. Delay messed us around, but maybe the USSC gonna turn all that around. . . Bad stuff too, but ain't that true of anywhere. . .
even Portugal.