The Differences

After a number of discussions with individuals whom I have encountered on this little trip of mine, I have come once again to some conclusions, or perhaps observations of our own country. The world is composed of an estimated 6.3 Billion people (of course, entirely depending on which statistical algorithm one chooses to adhere to). With 192-4 (depending on who's counting) countries in the world, we happen to be part of a minority of countries that enjoys a geographical isolation.

More to the point, we're very fortunate in that we were never forced into diplomacy out of necessity for many decades. We could continue our way of life as Americans without worrying about say, Russia coming over the border. Having little fear and threat from countries like Canada and Mexico, we truly found ourselves in a global oasis that is North America.

In my opinion, this did two things. Firstly, we became a dominant economic force in the world because our standard of living facilitated our attainment of disposable income. Instead of looking for safe drinking water, or saving up to emigrate from one European Union country to the other for a higher salary, we are concerned with getting the next iPod. Only in America will you see the frenzied preoccupation with an inanimate object such as a Beanie Baby [sic].

Secondly, yes, we got a little paranoid in our dealings with the rest of the world. I attribute it to our isolation and comfort. Now please understand, I'm not tearing apart America as many expatriates are so fond of doing. It's just an understanding that can only (in my mind, at least) be achieved by gazing upon the US from the outside. Pearl Harbor and then 9/11 would seem to be the harbingers of this behavior that we have adopted.

Having never been attacked and, save the Civil War and American Indian Wars, having never fought a war on our territory after the the War of 1812. When I am in Warsaw, I see it. Remnants of a city once leveled by war. The same for Hungary. This was pointed out rather poignantly when I was in Budapest, and in a museum which was having an Exhibition honoring the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Uprising against the Russians. In the picture, a 50mm cannon was in front of a badly damaged moving theater. Walking through the streets with my host, he pointed out the very same theater, partly rebuilt, and with picture-perfect resemblance to the picture in the museum (minus the cannon).

Until 9/11, that was a foreign concept to us. And we don't ever want it to happen again. That's why we reacted the way we did. Once thing that surprised me being in Europe and Latin America is that it is extremely difficult to get into the US right now for non-citizens. Gone are the days of the thirty, sixty, and ninety day visas that allowed tourists to float throughout the country with little problem. Full visa applications are required. And if you're not American, I have been hearing reports that customs isn't very lenient anymore either.

We're trying to protect ourselves. And that's acceptable. But to what end are we harming ourselves with our obsession with security. To be frank, the rest of Europe is still not forgetting Guantanamo Bay. They are refusing to back down on receiving answers. To this end, it's apparent that we have become scared of future that could possibly bring with it a global attitude, where the US can no longer be the driver. Instead, it would seem, we will be in the back seat of a car being driven by the Indians and the Chinese, while we sit next to the European Union. Between India and China, there are over 2 Billion people. With 300 Million and a fast growing 400 Million in the US and the EU respectively, our manpower is still not enough to hold up.

On the other hand, we have the intelligence and the infrastructure to sustain happy, healthy lives, while we get out of the car to enter the backseat. The real question is, will the American government and its people takes its attention away from security, just enough, to start helping Americans get on with their lives.

Therein lies one of our larger problems. As a general rule, America was founded based on the fear of a large over-arching government. We didn't like the whims of a monarchical system and certainly detest the idea of dictatorship. So we designed a government that would be sluggish and hard to change, so our economy could anticipate changes and respond accordingly. This, while Americans could count on the fact that if they were ever held liable or accused of a criminal act, there would be due process and indeed, it would take a long time.

In my mind, though, if the US is going to survive in the "New World" that is globalization, we will have to adopt larger governments to handle what the private market has been doing so poorly at: health care. Now, I've been to Finland and I've been to Sweden. Contrary to popular belief, many people take private policies on their health care to supplement what the government provides. But if they didn't have it, they would likely receive care anyway, but just not with the expeditious time frame that would be the ideal. But I don't think we even have that in the US. We have to go to Urgent Care because our doctor can't see us for six weeks minimum.

If there's one thing to take from this little essay of mine, it's this: a bigger government is not something to be frightened of when it's big for the good of the people and controlled by the people. What warrants fear in my mind is an hyper-sensitive government willing to throw due process out the window in the name of national security.