The only problem that I have with your scenario for America is, it's wrong! Plutocratic fascist corporate rule? Way too much credit there! Try most resilient place on the planet. And even with all its flaws and shortcomings, still head and shoulders above the rest. Still the only place turning out success at a rate that is envied and despised by way too many folks languishing elsewhere. And for reasons that can only be understood if you close your mind to the wonders of the human spirit!
This country has taken a left turn after President Kennedy died and things were never the same again. We are (sad to say this) on the Dark side now Yes, we are a plutocracy - corporate dictatorship with a masquerade of a two part system - in reality we have GOP (corporacy) and GOP light (democrats) = corporacy with some conscience. Wich is a fucking one party system if you have not YET noticed!!! Hullo, how is that different from the Chinese or the Russians? Having a dream of a parliamentary system of a multiparty system where people actually would be represented is stiffed with raw corruption at the election and campaign system we currently have under the law.
And with all those shortcomings, it still out shines and out accomplishes for the masses better than any other locale. The Democrats need to have "with no viable plans" added to that description. And the major difference with China and Russia is that we can travel, earn, share, achieve, and complain without government reprisals! Priceless!!!
With all respect how many countries have you lived (NOT visited)? I grant you that I still like it here or else I would have moved already but I have lived in Western Europe and Eastern Europe(Hungary) where I was born and I also visited places like Mexico, Asia and other nooks of the world? So guess what? a lot of americans have moved out and more are moving every year..... As for the Dems I honestly believe they are beyond help/repair and we need a campaign reform and elimination of corruption at high levels to include the millions of middle class voters and people in the USA especially the young. We need a 3rd party that can win and have legitimacy and for that we need to eliminate the corporate payoff for the 2 major parties that stifles any competition.
In 1979 I lived in Saudi Arabia for six months, (I was a special hazards engineer at the time). In 1980, I lived in Hong Kong (worked for a project account for the company I worked with and worked on a power facility for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries) for three months and three months in Australia. In 1987 I lived in London for three months. So I do have some international living experience. Couple that with being an African American and you can kind of imagine the issues of the time. I have several friends who live there now and while you think it great, they relate how just this side of shitty things can be. Several R&B entertainers who are in my family travel to Europe regularly and they constantly remark about the piss poor conditions for minorities. Especially when you compare them to America. I don't remember seeing a heavy minority presence in any major entity either. So excuse me if as a person of color with American decent I ain't overjoyed. And please don't fill me in on the African presence. I know too many Nigerians as it is. Business acumen? Compared to Americans? As a matter of fact, how many Africans are prominent in government there now? What is the major black corporation? What is the major black college? I don't know of too many Oprah stories, Michael Jordan's, the black millionaire population is what? We happen to have many here you know. And in many disciplines (you wouldn't know it to hear the politicos). Europe leads the world in what category that is destined to be world altering in the next century? I am sure that "SOME" of these categories have viable answers. But I'd spend too much time hunting them for my own good. My unborn grandchildren would be adults! IMHO!
can ya crackers say gwailos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not sure if you're serious or sarcastic... if you're serious, Al Qaeda's attack attempt of a Saudi oil facility shows that AQ wouldn't hesitate to attack an American port whether it's operated by UAE or not. The ironic thing about the UAE ports uproar is that Bush's own demagogery has boomeranged on him. Bush has overplayed the threat of terrorism, wrapping himself in 9-11 and milking it for what its worth, whipping up nationalism and patriotism at every turn. The popular opposition to UAE is of Bush's own making!
You couldn't be more wrong. Bush has never demagoded anything. You watch too much network news. Either that or you are just another socialist who could care less about the facts. John
"Not sure if you're serious or sarcastic... if you're serious, Al Qaeda's attack attempt of a Saudi oil facility shows that AQ wouldn't hesitate to attack an American port whether it's operated by UAE or not." --------------------- That's undebatable. The question is how well Al-Qaeda can infiltrate the operations with sympathizers or otherwise gain operational knowledge to aid their goals. How well could al-Qaeda put in an infiltrator versus a US or Chinese company? Just think of the language barrier. The Al-Qaeda attack in Saudi Arabia was stopped by their own personnel---in this case the locals are firmly against Al-Qaeda there and of course blowing up their own money supply (oil). But generally gulf populations are ambivalent about attacks against western interests overseas, it's more of a "well that's too extreme, but we understand the feeling" sort of thing, which doesn't always lend itself towards vigorous investigation and opposition.