An America that can say no.

"There is no anti-Americanism."/>Archbishop Desmond Tutu, NPR, December 2008

Sometimes, relationships can become dys-functional. Approximately 65 years ago America emerged as the dominant force on the planet. This dominance has reached such comprehensive proportions that the relationship between those 4.5% who are U.S. citizens and the remainder has become unhealthy for both sides. Americans have become arrogant and victims of a kind of sugar induced stupor that causes them to believe normal rules of cause and effect do not apply to the.

The rest of the planet has been reduced to the role of malicious spoiled brats constantly demanding special treatment even as they refuse responsibility instead responding to all American actions with malice, abuse and denial. Americans are the new Nazi's. And so, this unhealthy and ultimately unfruitful relationship grips the planet.

I propose the following...
That the U.S. eliminate its dependence on imported fossil fuels ASAP. This is actually will be relatively easy to do owing to the enormous inefficiency of the U.S. in it's use of these fuels. Having done so, the U.S., trade deficit will become a huge surplus and a very few precious metals not withstanding, the U.S. would be entirely self-sufficient.

The U.S. withdraw from all mutual defense treaties and were appropriate other supra-national agreements. These cost the U.S. lives and money and earn us only malice while allowing trade competitors and enormous advantage due to their not having to provide for their own defense in any meaningful way.

The U.S. should refuse, on a consistent basis, to "bailout" others in places like Bosnia. 
, Africa, etc.. Time to let the rest take care of themselves, it will raise their self-esteem and help end imperial tendencies within the U.S. The U.S. to stay in the U.N., but to use its veto to prevent this absurd organization from creating more trouble than it has already.<br /><br />Of course, America would still trade and have cultural exchange with others, only as a normal nation insisting on our rights while not allowing others to rip us off but at the same time refusing to interfere unless our legal national interests were at stake.
Over time, this program will right the ma.         
lice filled present state of affairs and allow the planet to find its natural on-going stasis.

Towards a more perfect Union or dealing with the intellectually incompetent and hysterical while still enacting universal health care in the U.S.

"The greatest triumph of reason is to live well with those who have none."
Voltaire
Listening to the pure irrational hysteria coming from much of the American right regarding universal health care, one is tempted to go kick the couch or take a hammer to a recently retired gas guzzler. Why, you ask yourself, is it so difficult to understand that the French spend 6% of their lower GDP per capita and cover all their citizens obtaining arguably better results than the U.S. which spends almost 18% of GDP and does not, so very difficult to grok.

Then, one remembers that about 40% of the citizenry is incapable of critical reasoning.
The planet is beginning a change the equal of that experienced between the middle ages and the renaissance or the pre-industrial and industrial ages. The U.S., is as usual, in the vanguard. Rapid change can be fearsome, profound change more so.
But, the law of Entropy demands the destruction of the old so that the new can reorganize on a higher plane. All this is obvious. The problem, as old Voltaire so well knew, is that a large part of society is incapable of understanding, they just are that is all.
Who are these people? Easy. They are those who believe Ex-Governor Palin should be President of the United States. This is an idea so devoid of reason, so absurd, that only someone who's cognitive abilities are as efficient as a Chevy Tahoe is efficient in its use of fuel, could subscribe to this intellectual infantilism. Like the Tahoe, they will simply cease to be produced and end up being scrapped. This is certain and is simply a function of time.

So here's to old Voltaire, as wise in the 21st century as he was in the 18th. As he guided the founders, quintessential men of reason then, let him guide us now.