All eyes on America the Great

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Warrigal

Warrigal

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Sydney, Australia
This is not intended to be in any way political, nor as a venue for criticising the United States.

I will be the first to report if it becomes so.

I just want to illustrate how much America is watched by other countries, the governments and the people, and how much we absorb about America, its power and influence on the world.

Just today, on our free to air TV, we have seen the new US Ambassador to Australia welcomed and interviewed by the press. I missed it but will catch up on replay as soon as I can. Her name guarantees that she will be listened to. Madame Ambassador is Caroline Kennedy.

Then I watched the second half of the latest Jan 6 Hearing. Even my husband, who does not usually bother with such matters, stayed awake and took it all in with interest. Afterwards we had a conversation about the proceedings.

Now, at the National Press Club, Admiral Michael Rogers, Former US National Security Agency Chief, is addressing the press (and anyone else tuned in to the national broadcaster) on the topic 'Russia and China: Geopolitics and the New Global Cyber Challenge'.

All that on the same day.

The eyes of Australia are really turned towards America right now, probably with a mixture of anxiety and hope.

Tonight I will watch a 30 minute program called Planet America where a couple of commentators will discuss and explain the Capitol attack hearings. Their commentary is usually very well informed and insightful.
 

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Thank you for your input, @Warrigal. If I don't watch the news and remain oblivious to the attempts to denigrate our democracy, I can have a good life in the US. It is only when I understand the effects of climate change, a Supreme Court that wants to take us back to the 50's, voter suppression and the attempts to overturn our democracy that I become depressed.
 

dseag2 said:
Thank you for your input, @Warrigal. If I don't watch the news and remain oblivious to the attempts to denigrate our democracy, I can have a good life in the US. It is only when I understand the effects of climate change, a Supreme Court that wants to take us back to the 50's, voter suppression and the attempts to overturn our democracy that I become depressed.
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Yeah, you might be personally affected by a future SCOTUS religious based decision regarding marital rights, so I can understand how that might be depressing. I don't like people making decisions based purely on religion that affect others. That's completely contrary to what our Founding Fathers envisioned for our country — so much so that they put freedom from religion right in the 1st Amendment of our Bill of Rights — even before the right to own AR-15 assault style rifles.

(Before someone agrees with me about the latter part of that sentence, it was a joke.)
 
Good post @Warrigal never hurts to remind us. We are not a perfect role model, but of the largest and most powerful countries probably the best. And I think slowly, and in fits and spurts getting better. Three steps forward and two back...

I believe a lot of other countries are as good or better, like Australia, just not quite as big and powerful. Its good to be friends and allies, we are better with you than not.

I listen to and opinions of folks in other countries, people like you, valuable insight I believe. Wish more Americans would...
 
It is certainly true that America has great influence on the rest of the world. The question is....is that a good thing? I have only been on this site a few months but, judging by the various threads and posts, it's obvious that America is far from being perfect.
I think it's significant that many British people go to America to work, especially those in the world of entertainment, but few stay.
One of the things that concerns me is the drop in standards right across the board in Britain....because so many people want us to become a mini-America.
I hope there are enough of us fighting that trend to stop the rot.
 
Warrigal said:
The eyes of Australia are really turned towards America right now, probably with a mixture of anxiety and hope.
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I would ask why at this particular point in time? Ukraine, North Korea, China, Taiwan. I only ask, as the "prime" time coverage is relatively new, but Congress has been quite the spectacle for several years. It should be noted that summertime is re-run time on the major broadcast networks and I doubt that is a coincidence.

The shrillness rises and falls with the election cycle. The divisions have been building for years and years. To someone just tuning in, it might be shocking.
 
All I know is as much as we Americans bash America for it's well known and documented abuse of power be it national or global our chances of being beheaded, hung by the neck until dead, burned alive at the stake or drawn and quartered for bashing our county are not even remotely as often as the other first world "Non NATO" nuclear capable nation states like Russia, China, North Korea, India and Pakistan. Non nuclear capable nations other than oil and gas producing countries, all second and third world countries aren't even in the global circle of power and influence. Our rather dubious legacy of being the first nuclear capable county to drop two atomic bombs on an adversary during war gives any other nuclear capable adversary pause. I no longer pay taxes and I don't vote. This "even one vote counts" spiel becomes academic once I have gone to the great beyond. So who is going to fill that void?

BTW: As far as the global immigration situation get's worse America is the first, last and probably will always be in the fence the legal immigrants walk through while illegal and impoverished immigrants jump over or tunnel under our porous fence for a much better life then all the other Democratic or hostile and human rights violating countries combined.

God Bless America

flag-4th.gif

The Land of the Free.
 
Harry Le Hermit said:
I would ask why at this particular point in time? Ukraine, North Korea, China, Taiwan. I only ask, as the "prime" time coverage is relatively new, but Congress has been quite the spectacle for several years. It should be noted that summertime is re-run time on the major broadcast networks and I doubt that is a coincidence.

The shrillness rises and falls with the election cycle. The divisions have been building for years and years. To someone just tuning in, it might be shocking.
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The reason is mostly China and her creeping influence in the Pacific. We, and by we I mean the government(s) have mostly taken our eyes off the Pacific nations. Once we were their partner of choice for security but now China is attempting to worm their way in by stealth in the form of aid/loans. Our diplomats are now scrambling to repair the damage and additional aid has been announced. Two new embassies/consulates are to be opened and Pacific Islanders look like getting better deals for working visas. China's efforts have been stalled, at least for now.

We are part of the Quad Alliance (India, Taiwan, Australia and US), something China is not happy about, as well as the AUKUS agreement (Australia, UK and US) for Australia to acquire nuclear powered submarines. China is not happy about that arrangement either.

China has been punishing Australia for some time now with trade sanctions and to withstand the pressure we need a strong ally (US) on our side.
 
I love my country but some things always go sideways at one point or another. I do not vote because I do not pay attention to the issues. A vote cast wrong is worse than a vote not made. I let my husband, who did follow the issues and candidates vote for our family. I am not going to make the decision if I am not informed. You could compare it to a surgeon, do you want the guy who has done it or do you want the guy in the library reading about it? I prefer the guy who has done it.

So I leave it up to the informed Americans to make the choice. I have been shocked in one election, I could never see that one coming. That one we have and are continuing to pay the price for. The grass is not always greener, sometimes it is a field of weeds that will keep popping up and keep things from growing.
 
Lavinia said:
It is certainly true that America has great influence on the rest of the world. The question is....is that a good thing? I have only been on this site a few months but, judging by the various threads and posts, it's obvious that America is far from being perfect.
I think it's significant that many British people go to America to work, especially those in the world of entertainment, but few stay.
One of the things that concerns me is the drop in standards right across the board in Britain....because so many people want us to become a mini-America.
I hope there are enough of us fighting that trend to stop the rot.
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In what way do people want us to become a Mini- America?...
 
Lavinia said:
It is certainly true that America has great influence on the rest of the world. The question is....is that a good thing? I have only been on this site a few months but, judging by the various threads and posts, it's obvious that America is far from being perfect.
I think it's significant that many British people go to America to work, especially those in the world of entertainment, but few stay.
One of the things that concerns me is the drop in standards right across the board in Britain....because so many people want us to become a mini-America.
I hope there are enough of us fighting that trend to stop the rot.
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IMO standards have been dropping or dumbed down in America and the rest of the world since I was a kid.

Maybe it's progress. :unsure:

All I know for sure is I don't like it!

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Blessed said:
I am not going to make the decision if I am not informed. You could compare it to a surgeon, do you want the guy who has done it or do you want the guy in the library reading about it? I prefer the guy who has done it.

So I leave it up to the informed Americans to make the choice.
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Why do you denigrate yourself? You are a very intelligent woman. You not only have the ability to understand, you do understand! Why you won't vote is something I can't understand, it's a mystery to me. You've already made up your mind as to what's right for you to bear. Not using your right to vote baffles me.
 
Warrigal said:
Then I watched the second half of the latest Jan 6 Hearing. Even my husband, who does not usually bother with such matters, stayed awake and took it all in with interest. Afterwards we had a conversation about the proceedings.
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Yes, the world is watching and I'm so glad to see the truth laid out there at long last. This committee has done a great job exposing the facts.
 
One thing i will say is i appreciate being able to communicate internationally. Even small town libraries usually have computers with internet access. Most schools have them. It gives us opportunities to see ourselves thru the eyes of others, as well as to communicate directly with citizens of other countries, learning their perspectives on the situations in their countries and ours without a government or professional news media putting their spin on things.
 
This poem, still just as inspiring, was written in 1849, just before the Civil War. I think the lines in bold type are particularly appropriate.

O Ship of State
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Thou, too, sail on, O Ship of State!
Sail on, O Union, strong and great!
Humanity with all its fears,
With all the hopes of future years,
Is hanging breathless on thy fate!
We know what Master laid thy keel,
What Workmen wrought thy ribs of steel,
Who made each mast, and sail, and rope,
What anvils rang, what hammers beat,
In what a forge and what a heat
Were shaped the anchors of thy hope!
Fear not each sudden sound and shock,
'Tis of the wave and not the rock;
'Tis but the flapping of the sail,
And not a rent made by the gale!
In spite of rock and tempest's roar,
In spite of false lights on the shore,
Sail on, nor fear to breast the sea!
Our hearts, our hopes, are all with thee.
Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our tears,
Our faith triumphant o'er our fears,
Are all with thee, -are all with thee!
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
 
hollydolly said:
In what way do people want us to become a Mini- America?...
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You haven't noticed how much of American culture is creeping into ours....language, spelling, expressions? Even the BBC is starting to use the American spelling of certain words. The fact that you may not have noticed perhaps suggests how subtly it is happening. Even British authors are starting to make the same errors in writing that Americans do, although this might be intentional in order to widen their readership.
 

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