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The Forum > Article Comments > The future of anti-Americanism > Comments

The future of anti-Americanism : Comments

By Brendon O'Connor, published 28/10/2008

Public opinion towards the US in the Western world is now much more negative than even at the height of Reagan's global unpopularity.

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US administrations have long been interferring the affairs of other countries and other people since George Washington's days. But then so have other large empires - the Soviet Union was quite aggressive in this respect and the British empire practically invented "gunboat diplomacy".

US politicians regard America has somehow exceptional. However, this was also the thinking in Rome at the height of its empire, in Queen Victoria's Britain and Russia under Lenin and Stalin.

As I said, it's important to distinguish between governments and the people (even if many of the people voted for the government of the day). George W Bush may have received votes from "working families" (please forgive the use of that term) but he certainly hasn't exactly been working on their behalf. I suppose if you count Dick and Lynne Cheney as a working family...
Posted by DavidJS, Wednesday, 29 October 2008 7:22:54 AM
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Cowboy Joe should be more familiar with the activities of George "cowboy" Bush. Bush used to brag about how he increased homeownership. In 2004 when his Republicans controlled both the House and the Senate, Bush led the push for loans requiring no downpayments to low income people, some of whom had bad credit. McCain, of course, was in the Senate at the time and to my knowledge, did not oppose this. McCain was a Johnny come lately in trying to control the nonsense that had been initiated not by Democrats but by Dubya himself. Read it for yourself, Cowboy Joe: http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/housing/2004-01-20-fha_x.htm

Cowboy Joe sounds as though he is a dedicated viewer of Fox News.
Posted by Joe in the U.S., Wednesday, 29 October 2008 10:42:31 AM
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The term "anti-American" is an example of propaganda that tries to stereotype all those who dare criticise the United States (for apparently any reason whatsoever) as being part of a single irrational group.

The same ham-fisted method is used to brand somebody as being "anti-Semitic" or worse, "un-Australian".

Strangely, it's also the same logic that sterotypes everything the USA does as being part of a single ideological purpose when both concepts are false and misleading.

Criticism should only be seen as criticism. The rationality of individual arguments is what counts.

Like any nation they have things to be proud of but also much to be ashamed of as well.
Posted by wobbles, Wednesday, 29 October 2008 1:03:52 PM
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I expect ‘anti-Americanism’ to be as virulent as the exceptionalism it lays claim to. The Monroe doctrine and more recently the Bush doctrine - the one Sarah couldn’t remember - are practically an ‘up yours’ to the world at large. Disregarding or cynically engineering UN determinations (Iraq, Israel, Guantanamo, FTAs – hell, the whole world) has resulted in a stronger anti-Americanism that many Americans seem surprised about. (hint: if you’re one of them stop watching Fox)

America’s done much for the world but the current administration appears to act like a bunch of modern-day moguls asset-stripping all they can, so that whoever follows has an impossible job bringing things back to where they were. The country is virtually owned by China. Manufacturing is disappearing, as are many towns that depend on it. The financial crisis nursed into existence by lax regulations, beginning with Enron and leading to today, was only part of a massive transfer of wealth from the middle class to the already-wealthy.

Cowboy Joe, it appears all politicians can be considered as tainted as each other. Perhaps Obama has had dealings with unpopular figures; given the competitive nature of US politics it might be seen as unavoidable but why does the republican campaign narrow in on his tenuous connection with Ayers? Is it because that offers the most leverage with the emotional response of the electorate? Voting intentions are largely determined not by considered thought but by gut instinct. Since Bush has presided over a shrinking working class and standard of living how else could he be elected? Twice, for chrissakes??

Obama is seen as a moderate, who has spelled out he’d look at ways to redistribute the wealth (which is about 95% of what every government does). It doesn’t mean he’s a commo; it means he intends not to continue giving oil companies tax breaks. He’s also seen as an intellectual, which for some reason doesn’t sit well with Americans.

Take my word for it Joe. If McCain and his ditzy sidekick are elected next week week you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
Posted by bennie, Wednesday, 29 October 2008 3:47:27 PM
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Whether McCain came lately to the looming financial crisis or on time; at least he came to the issue and demonstrated leadership by doing so.

Obama did not address the issue thereby demonstrating an absence of leadership by comparison.

Sure there is shared responsibility, but the fact remains that Clinton and the Democrats started the ball rolling based on ideology not fiduciary responsibility. The chain of events was started by those who chose to create their own reality ie that most low income individuals can pay off a mortgage.

Alpers and the connection to Obama simply goes to character. Birds of a feather is the saying.

Ditzy, hmmm. Now what adjective would one apply to Biden when he stated that Roosevelt immediately went on television to address the financial collapse during his administration. He is known far and wide for his propensity to utter dumb things, but in Biden's case it is regarded as colourful, quaint and a bit bohemian.

Doesn't rate at the New York Times and other left biased news outlets.
Posted by Cowboy Joe, Wednesday, 29 October 2008 9:17:46 PM
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Joe in USA

FEDERAL HOUSING ENTERPRISE REGULATORY REFORM ACT OF 2005

The United States Senate

May 25, 2006

Sen. John McCain [R-AZ]: Mr. President, this week Fannie Mae’s regulator reported that the company’s quarterly reports of profit growth over the past few years were “illusions deliberately and systematically created” by the company’s senior management, which resulted in a $10.6 billion accounting scandal.

http://sweetness-light.com/archive/bush-mccain-tried-to-reform-housing-finance

BTW Clinton was in office long before 2004, Joe.
Posted by Cowboy Joe, Wednesday, 29 October 2008 10:35:38 PM
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