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As an American, my interest is in seeing the quality of life for my fellow citizens improve first. Yes, people in other countries are people too, etc., but the
by Frondo 9y ago
As an American, my interest is in seeing the quality of life for my fellow citizens improve first.
Yes, people in other countries are people too, etc., but they also have their own governance, their own resources, their own economics systems to manage and oversee.
I can take no active part in any of that--only my own country's.
Until we have one world government, I'm always going to prioritize the places where I have at least some capacity to pull the levers in ways I think are better for people.
(This is why I dislike, in general, the specious globalist argument, "but the poors overseas deserve wealth too," sure they do, but they also live in sovereign nations and it's up to them to guide and shape their own.)
- hkmurakami 9y agoI just want to vocally support your having expressed this view. I don't necessarily agree wholesale with the position, but I think it's a perfectly reasonable and sound preference to have, but one that, if said in public, with your real identity attached to it, you may be admonished for. And that I find to be a shame -- that we find it so difficult to see the logic in a position we may disagree with.
- lotsofpulp 9y agoBecause in reality, it leads to the bigger guy (America) bullying the smaller guys (middle east, central and south america, etc) in the name of making life better for Americans. Now that China is in the fray, and India to a lesser extent, Americans will start feeling the real cost of having such a high standard of living compared to others.
- Frondo 9y agoHey thanks! The other thing is, I don't just apply this to international politics, I'm a firm believer in working to change your local politics as much as possible above all else. How your city runs is both more accessible to the layperson and has a far bigger impact on your day-to-day experience than federal stuff, for example. That's not to say I'd eschew federal level politics--I'm a huge proponent for socialized medicine, stringent environmental regulations, and a host of other stuff. But when I go out and campaign, I do it for local folks.