Unfortunately I can't locate the documentation for this at the moment, but a recent poll of Berliners found that fully 61 percent believed our dear Shrub is a dangerously incompetent maniac. I don't know any people who might be better equipped to make such a judgment, and the scrappy Berliners would probably agree about their qualifications.
If such an estimate matches my own, and it does, what shall I do with it as an American resident in America?
I saw this related observation today on a discussion site, and it should disturb or provoke each of us:
I am a citizen of the United States. I see the PATRIOT act, I see TIPS, and I think to the folks I grew up knowing as a kid, the German Jewish couple who "saw the signs and got out while they could", and remember stories of many others like them who saw where their country was going and had the foresight to get out before it was "patently obvious there was a problem"... which brings us to the modern day...But it's not just that I don't want to live under a government that is repressive, or worse. I don't want to have to live with people who have no problem with government moving in that direction (who will never go to the barricades, or even contact their people in Congress or, damn, at the very least, talk to each other about their apprehension), and that is what we are experiencing already.
How bad does it have to get before the alarm bells go off?
[I gratefully acknowledge my Partner, Barry, as the source of much of the above material.]
The other day the bbc-correspondant for Washington, DC, read a personal piece about his move away from the US after five years, to go and cover Brussels instead. While he had much appreciation for the United States and for americans (speaking in general terms) he clearly stated the problems he has with a 'strangely introverted country' (I paraphrase). I wish I had a copy of what he wrote, but it lead me to think of all the other people in the US who do think differently, and how I would feel if I were still a resident of the United States. News items of how the U.S. government neglects international treaties, simply because they can get away with it, read like absurdities, and leave me with a strange feeling in my stomach. One phrase keeps coming into my mind: "the abuse of power comes as no surprise" by Jenny Holzer.
Best to you,
k (ps: the bbc-worldservice is a brilliant source of informative stories from all around the world: for those of you seeking solace it is an affirmative 'world citizen' radio station with a sound mission)