Where did it all go wrong

[Old Rocks]

The fastest and largest computer is in China. They have the biggest canal system in the world. They have more high speed rail than the rest of the world put together. Yes, they have many problems, but they have come very far in the last generation, and are dreaming very large, and may go much further in the coming generation. If they are successful, they will be the dominant nation by 2050. While we retreat into isolationism and bigotry.

 

[westwall]

The fastest and largest computer is in China. They have the biggest canal system in the world. They have more high speed rail than the rest of the world put together. Yes, they have many problems, but they have come very far in the last generation, and are dreaming very large, and may go much further in the coming generation. If they are successful, they will be the dominant nation by 2050. While we retreat into isolationism and bigotry.

Wow, they have tech they stole from us. How wonderful, they have how many hundred million slave laborers to do all that work? You seem to love China., You should move there. Let us know how much you love the place.

 

[K9Buck]

Wasn't the US the country that killed 100,000s of Iraqi civilians? Didn't they have a civil war over slaves that cost 100,000s of lives?

I could go on...

So America is like Nazi Germany?

 

[K9Buck]

What Germany is butt hurt over is the inevitable end to the US gravy train...

Germany is not worried about us at all. They, and many other European nations are looking East toward China for their trading future. Already there is a direct rail link to China. The old Silk Road is back in business again.

I know for an American liberal like yourself, it really sucks having a pro-American president, for a change. I have to admit, I didn't think Americans would ever again have a potus that wanted to put them first, instead of last, like Obama did.

 

[SeaGal]

I guess most people have missed the point of the OP. It wasn’t so much who said it (a German) but what he said. There was a time when I was growing up (70s) when the US was looked up to and was a place/society others wished to emulate. Don’t get me wrong, there was a naivety there for sure. But there was also optimism about how the world should be. Now the US seems nothing more than a country sliding into mediocrity. And while both the left and right send barbs each other’s way, from the outside looking in, it looks like two toddlers fighting over a candy bar. It’s pathetic. Certainly the neocons on this board seem the worst offenders – not giving a shit about other people and what they think, blaming everybody but themselves for their country’s woes, and ironically, most of all, not taking responsibility for their own actions (including a clown being elected pres). The left can take some of the blame, too. Especially those Sanders supporters who threw their toys out of the cot when their guy didn’t get the Dem nomination..

In the early 70's we were a more restrictive society than today, but less restrictive governance. We didn't have social media. The welfare state was just gearing up good. We were embroiled in a war in SE Asia, and the Cold War was warmer than we'd like. We'd just begun to embrace - 'If it feels good, do it' and 'I'm ok, you're ok'. Discipline was falling out of favor in the classroom. We planted seeds that have taken several decades to ripen.

We've loosened up on societal rules, tightened up on governance rules...moved closer to 'democratic socialism' and further away from capitalism...what do you think the problem is?

Wake up USA. Your country is being fucked over. You want somebody to blame? Go look in the mirror first, then head out and starting blaming others.

In a few words, Dr. Grump - Physician, heal thyself.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

The fastest and largest computer is in China. They have the biggest canal system in the world. They have more high speed rail than the rest of the world put together. Yes, they have many problems, but they have come very far in the last generation, and are dreaming very large, and may go much further in the coming generation. If they are successful, they will be the dominant nation by 2050. While we retreat into isolationism and bigotry.

Oh yeah? So trains and "a" high speed computer make it so great there, huh?

Bet if you ask how many Americans want to move to China, you'd be able to count them on your hands. But go to China and ask how many of their citizens would love to move to the US.

 

[Likkmee]

.......and God put him in a deep sleep and removed one of his ribs..................
The End.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

While it's true our country has it's problems, one problem we don't need is getting a European approval. If you don't like our country, then don't pay attention to our country. Guess what? We'll do fine without you or your opinions of us.

When you solve all your problems there, then think about giving us advice. Until then, trial, error and imperfections are commonplace in nearly every nation on this planet.

If only decisions made in Washington didn't have a knock-on/spill over effect to the rest of us. You might have a good point.

Care to provide an example of what you claim here?

 

[Tehon]

German writer sums up how Germany feels about the US. It's probably how most western countries feel.

"Peter Schneider, the novelist and journalist, expressed the attitude this way: “[The US] has created a model of a savior, and now we find by looking at you that you are not perfect at all—much less, you are actually corrupt, you are terrible businessmen, you have no ideals anymore.” With the Iraq War, Guantánamo, drones, the unmet expectations of the Obama Presidency, and now spying, “you actually have acted against your own promises, and so we feel very deceived.”

NB: This comes from a piece written in The New Yorker which is behind a pay wall so cannot link. Also, for all the Trump haters out there (of which I am one), the piece was written in 2015 when Obama was in office.

I think it is pretty clear from just the first page of responses that the problem is with the American people themselves. Can't blame it on the politicians because regardless of what they do on the international stage the people will defend them.

It should be pointed out to all the knee jerk emotional infants in this thread that the German writer does not speak for all of Germany nor the German State.

 

[eagle1462010]

Name a country that was ever perfect.............we have issues with corrupt politicians and so does the rest of the world.........In regards to the Wars in the Middle East the Caliphates have been going on since the time of Mohamed...............People bitch when you fight against it............People bitch when you don't..............

We've had the backs of Europe since WWII...............we've payed the Lion's share in UN Peace Keeping Missions wanted by countries like GERMANY.........GASP............and THEN THEY BITCH about it after we do it......................

Stop WHINING GERMAN WRITER..........we could care less.............here............use this........

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Don't give a rats ass what Germanstan thinks.

You might not not but you will. That is where Europe looks to now and they and China will control the agenda for the next 50 years.

That is certainly what will happen if we go down the road of tariffs.

We do not even have to go down the tariff road, just the POTUS threatening countries with them has been enough to get them looking elsewhere, China will be happy to fill the void we leave as Trump leads us in a full retreat.


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[Mac1958]

German writer sums up how Germany feels about the US. It's probably how most western countries feel.

"Peter Schneider, the novelist and journalist, expressed the attitude this way: “[The US] has created a model of a savior, and now we find by looking at you that you are not perfect at all—much less, you are actually corrupt, you are terrible businessmen, you have no ideals anymore.” With the Iraq War, Guantánamo, drones, the unmet expectations of the Obama Presidency, and now spying, “you actually have acted against your own promises, and so we feel very deceived.”

NB: This comes from a piece written in The New Yorker which is behind a pay wall so cannot link. Also, for all the Trump haters out there (of which I am one), the piece was written in 2015 when Obama was in office.

We just kept dropping our standards and dropping our standards until they dropped below those of other countries. Examples:

• Identifying victim groups and lowering expectations specifically for them
• Watching our culture decay quickly and doing nothing about it
• Not regulating our financial institutions effectively enough because they "create wealth"
• Making excuses for our political "leaders" when they lie and cheat, make horrible decision and/or accomplish nothing
• Allowed partisanship to decay to a point where we hate each other & want to beat each other more than we love the country
  
• Raised a full generation of children who can't write or speak our language but can really play video games
  
• Choosing to forget that during our strongest years, we maintained a strong socio-economic safety net

This, as I say all the time, is a self-inflicted wound. These are all choices we've made.
.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

For all you morons bashing Germany as a country, a few facts for you.
Their debt/GDP ratio is 39 percentage points lower than the US. Their debt per capital is less than half that of the US.
They had a surplus last year paying down their debt while we were more than 4% in the red. They have lower unemployment than the US.

But yeah, keep telling yourself that they are


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[Harpy Eagle]

With the exception of the Westwall, all the other replies are just jingoistic crap. Yeah, let's judge Germany on something that happened 70 years ago. I can easily harangue every other state in the world for unlawful killings. Whether it be 6,000 or 6 million. Dead is dead. I'm talking about the here and now.

Well shit man. Didn’t you judge your country over a civil wage faught between 1860-1865? And it was not fought over slaver entirely, it was fought over states rights!

The only States Right was to keep humans as property,

Doubledareme, you have made many lame post here, but this one I can’t let slide. You clearly have not read any history of our civil war, but fear not, I will take pity on your ignorant ass, and educate you.

Slavery was not the cause that started the civil war. Lincoln engaged in the war for one underlying reason- to preserve the Union. He ultimately determined that adjoining slavery to his real cause would allow him the best opportunity to win the war and preserve the Union. In fact, Lincoln would have allowed slavery to continue, if he thought it would allow him to preserve the Union. Read this passage. When you’re done go ahead and read some more civil war history, so you can be more informed about this country than the average German writer.
What is the context of Lincoln saying: "if I could save the union without freeing any slave I would do it"
If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time destroy slavery, I do not agree with them. My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I

If it was not about slavery, why did the declaration of secession from every state say that slavery was the issue?


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[Unkotare]

German writer sums up how Germany feels about the US. It's probably how most western countries feel.

"Peter Schneider, the novelist and journalist, expressed the attitude this way: “[The US] has created a model of a savior, and now we find by looking at you that you are not perfect at all—much less, you are actually corrupt, you are terrible businessmen, you have no ideals anymore.” With the Iraq War, Guantánamo, drones, the unmet expectations of the Obama Presidency, and now spying, “you actually have acted against your own promises, and so we feel very deceived.”

NB: This comes from a piece written in The New Yorker which is behind a pay wall so cannot link. Also, for all the Trump haters out there (of which I am one), the piece was written in 2015 when Obama was in office.

We just kept dropping our standards and dropping our standards until they dropped below those of other countries. Examples:

• Identifying victim groups and lowering expectations specifically for them
• Watching our culture decay quickly and doing nothing about it
• Not regulating our financial institutions effectively enough because they "create wealth"
• Making excuses for our political "leaders" when they lie and cheat, make horrible decision and/or accomplish nothing
• Allowed shallow partisanship to decay to a point where we hate each other and want to beat each other more than we love the country
  
• Raised a full generation of children who can't write or speak our language but can really play video games
  
• Choosing to forget that during our strongest years, we maintained a strong socio-economic safety net

This, as I say all the time, is a self-inflicted wound.
.

Most of those points other countries don’t care about or are worse. And when was this generation that can’t speak or write?

 

[Mac1958]

German writer sums up how Germany feels about the US. It's probably how most western countries feel.

"Peter Schneider, the novelist and journalist, expressed the attitude this way: “[The US] has created a model of a savior, and now we find by looking at you that you are not perfect at all—much less, you are actually corrupt, you are terrible businessmen, you have no ideals anymore.” With the Iraq War, Guantánamo, drones, the unmet expectations of the Obama Presidency, and now spying, “you actually have acted against your own promises, and so we feel very deceived.”

NB: This comes from a piece written in The New Yorker which is behind a pay wall so cannot link. Also, for all the Trump haters out there (of which I am one), the piece was written in 2015 when Obama was in office.

We just kept dropping our standards and dropping our standards until they dropped below those of other countries. Examples:

• Identifying victim groups and lowering expectations specifically for them
• Watching our culture decay quickly and doing nothing about it
• Not regulating our financial institutions effectively enough because they "create wealth"
• Making excuses for our political "leaders" when they lie and cheat, make horrible decision and/or accomplish nothing
• Allowed shallow partisanship to decay to a point where we hate each other and want to beat each other more than we love the country
  
• Raised a full generation of children who can't write or speak our language but can really play video games
  
• Choosing to forget that during our strongest years, we maintained a strong socio-economic safety net

This, as I say all the time, is a self-inflicted wound.
.

Most of those points other countries don’t care about or are worse. And when was this generation that can’t speak or write?

Right now.

And if you're fine with the other points, great.
.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Wasn't the US the country that killed 100,000s of Iraqi civilians?

Why, yes. Yes they did. I for one, disagreed, with going there in the first place.

Your posting reminds me of a rather accurate speech that a young lady by the name of Dahlia Wasfi gave on the topic back in 2010, I believe.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

German writer sums up how Germany feels about the US. It's probably how most western countries feel.

"Peter Schneider, the novelist and journalist, expressed the attitude this way: “[The US] has created a model of a savior, and now we find by looking at you that you are not perfect at all—much less, you are actually corrupt, you are terrible businessmen, you have no ideals anymore.” With the Iraq War, Guantánamo, drones, the unmet expectations of the Obama Presidency, and now spying, “you actually have acted against your own promises, and so we feel very deceived.”

NB: This comes from a piece written in The New Yorker which is behind a pay wall so cannot link. Also, for all the Trump haters out there (of which I am one), the piece was written in 2015 when Obama was in office.

Aw, how sad.

 

[jillian]

German writer sums up how Germany feels about the US. It's probably how most western countries feel.

"Peter Schneider, the novelist and journalist, expressed the attitude this way: “[The US] has created a model of a savior, and now we find by looking at you that you are not perfect at all—much less, you are actually corrupt, you are terrible businessmen, you have no ideals anymore.” With the Iraq War, Guantánamo, drones, the unmet expectations of the Obama Presidency, and now spying, “you actually have acted against your own promises, and so we feel very deceived.”

NB: This comes from a piece written in The New Yorker which is behind a pay wall so cannot link. Also, for all the Trump haters out there (of which I am one), the piece was written in 2015 when Obama was in office.

We just kept dropping our standards and dropping our standards until they dropped below those of other countries. Examples:

• Identifying victim groups and lowering expectations specifically for them
• Watching our culture decay quickly and doing nothing about it
• Not regulating our financial institutions effectively enough because they "create wealth"
• Making excuses for our political "leaders" when they lie and cheat, make horrible decision and/or accomplish nothing
• Allowed shallow partisanship to decay to a point where we hate each other and want to beat each other more than we love the country
  
• Raised a full generation of children who can't write or speak our language but can really play video games
  
• Choosing to forget that during our strongest years, we maintained a strong socio-economic safety net

This, as I say all the time, is a self-inflicted wound.
.

Most of those points other countries don’t care about or are worse. And when was this generation that can’t speak or write?

Right now.

And if you're fine with the other points, great.
.

Do you have kids, Mac?

 

[Mac1958]

German writer sums up how Germany feels about the US. It's probably how most western countries feel.

"Peter Schneider, the novelist and journalist, expressed the attitude this way: “[The US] has created a model of a savior, and now we find by looking at you that you are not perfect at all—much less, you are actually corrupt, you are terrible businessmen, you have no ideals anymore.” With the Iraq War, Guantánamo, drones, the unmet expectations of the Obama Presidency, and now spying, “you actually have acted against your own promises, and so we feel very deceived.”

NB: This comes from a piece written in The New Yorker which is behind a pay wall so cannot link. Also, for all the Trump haters out there (of which I am one), the piece was written in 2015 when Obama was in office.

We just kept dropping our standards and dropping our standards until they dropped below those of other countries. Examples:

• Identifying victim groups and lowering expectations specifically for them
• Watching our culture decay quickly and doing nothing about it
• Not regulating our financial institutions effectively enough because they "create wealth"
• Making excuses for our political "leaders" when they lie and cheat, make horrible decision and/or accomplish nothing
• Allowed shallow partisanship to decay to a point where we hate each other and want to beat each other more than we love the country
  
• Raised a full generation of children who can't write or speak our language but can really play video games
  
• Choosing to forget that during our strongest years, we maintained a strong socio-economic safety net

This, as I say all the time, is a self-inflicted wound.
.

Most of those points other countries don’t care about or are worse. And when was this generation that can’t speak or write?

Right now.

And if you're fine with the other points, great.
.

Do you have kids, Mac?

Yes, two amazing daughters.
.