Our American Problem

Trying to contemplate this from a respectful distance.

In 1990, I worked and lived in the Netherlands during a summer internship, and something interesting struck me. The strange polarities of European thought and opinions of America and Americans. On one hand, Americans were bourgeois boors without healthcare or grace. On the other hand, American chutzpah, military might, and knowhow not only helped defeat Fascism but also helped rebuild and reimagine Europe through the post-war period. Hollywood was denigrated while American moviemaking was venerated. American politics were reviled, but American authors and artists were revered. The idea of America’s self-important exceptionalism was something to be mocked while Americans as individuals were well thought of. It was totally fine pretending to be a cowboy wearing American blue jeans, while listening to American rock ‘n’ roll and jazz while crapping on American kitsch. Initially, I thought it was hypocritical but later appreciated that you can enjoy some aspects of a culture while recognizing the stuff that isn’t so good. American jazz, Wayfarer sunglasses: good. American flag speedos: bad. America’s Jim Crow South: bad. Americans landing on the moon: good. American military might to destabilize geopolitical norms: not so good.  American military might used to secure peace: good. America is not the best. Not in rates of literacy, child mortality, health care, income inequality, personal safety, freedom of speech, democracy, or life expectancy. Yet the idea of America is a pretty good one. Then I read this from Robert Reich:

“Dear allies of America, please don’t confuse our president with us.”
—Robert Reich

That’s a very reasonable request from Robert Reich, but about a third of possible voters elected him. 77 million people is an awful lot of people. You knew what you were getting, and you got it. Despite everything he’s done in the past year: renaming buildings after himself, attacking and censoring comedians he doesn’t like, cutting your paltry healthcare, obfuscating the Epstein files, facilitating the overturning of Roe v. Wade, thus endangering the lives of women, obliterating foreign aid, attacking critics in the press at every turn, weakening the economy, raising prices via incoherent tariffs, arresting asylum seekers, separating families through deportation, killing American citizens, attacking protesters (in real life and in AI generated media posts), attacking the Pope (while posting images of himself as Jesus!), attacking countries, and threatening to attack others… despite all of that (and more), over a third of people polled still think he’s doing a good job. I guess that’s the third who showed up and got him elected. So I have to say, “sorry not sorry” for not confusing or conflating a third of adults, millions of people, with a government that has been an overwhelming force of disruption and corruption in the world. You broke it, you bought it, so you better own it.

Yet, here’s the rub. We end up owning it. A failing America actually hurts everyone else, in the same way a successful America helps everyone else. We’re in a world where large numbers of Americans believe the Earth is flat (either because they are idiots or just love trolling surveys) while TikToking about it on their satellite-dependent devices. American Conservatives are often defined by their anti-science stance (whether it’s climate change or vaccine safety), but a Canadian is on board the Orion capsule as it journeyed to the Moon on the largely American Artemis II mission. NASA is an American creation. The world depends on American science agencies like NOAA to collect data, which is the backbone of serious research and tomorrow’s weather forecast. Yet it is one of the most affected agencies, being defunded by an administration that would prefer to deny climate change solely to enrich themselves and friends in the oil industry. While business leaders cow to the president, comedians, American comedians, lift our moods by mocking just how bad things actually are. You’d think Trump was already too ridiculous to be parodied, but comedians keep finding new ways, and we could all use a good laugh right now. We dance and sing along to American music. It's not just the economy stupid, we consume so much American music, film, television, news, visual art, books and yes, even science, that, while we can buy Canadian jeans, beer and potato chips, we can't just turn our back on our biggest trading partner or extended family.

That’s the problem. We need them. We don’t need American energy, beef or porn stars. We’ve got plenty of our own. We do need a healthy American democracy, economy, and people.