US - the world watchdog, is it correct ?

[rahulmalhotra]

[Rashy]

Simple: the Republicans wouldn't fire their own man (it makes their entire party look bad) and the Democrats are a bunch of pussies that never get anything done.

In America both the Republican and the Democratic parties are relatively small compared to the rest of the population, the "Independents" who are also known as the "Silent Majority," and yet all of the political power is held between the Democrats and the Republicans (with smaller parties holding a tiny amount of power in state and a couple federal legislative positions). When a president runs for office, they campaign to collect those independent votes because there are so many independent people and they can sway for either party, while the Democrats will vote for Democrats and likewise with the Republicans.

Basically this means that U.S. policy is created by the minority who hold power, and not the majority (the independents) like a democracy is supposed to work. This is one of the results of having an representative democracy, as opposed to a direct democracy such as the Romans had (though technically the U.S. is a federal republic like ancient Rome was).

So when you don't like what a President is doing with his power, or when you don't like U.S. foreign policy, remember that it is controlled by a minority population in the U.S. and that even the Legislative branch is controlled by self-serving individuals. The majority of the U.S. has little say other than their vote on who gets in office (and even that counts for very little). In fact, voter turn outs are dismal right now, so even getting elected means that you were chosen by the majority of half the U.S. population (or slightly over 25% of the U.S. population).

Anyways, its hardly worth the effort of booting Bush out of office with the next presidential elections coming up (even if we could muster up the support for it, and get the Dems to take action). We'll have a new president in soon, and hopefully he can turn things around. I say "he", because if Hillary gets elected the world will end. Not that any of the other candidates are that great.

To answer your original question: Should the U.S. police the world?

Yes and no.

We need to be involved in world affairs. After WWI we were the world's super power, but we took an isolationist policy. We didn't want to get involved in "European Affairs" because we had just lost many good men in WWI and we didn't want a repeat. Basically we kept our nose out when Hitler started screwing over Europe and the world bitched when we didn't jump straight into the war. Now the world is bitching because we are all in their business. It seems that the solution is somewhere between, limited action in world affairs. Too bad the people that create foreign policy wouldn't even entertain the idea.
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Rashy!

[kenoodo]

[DeadlyXScreams]

I'm from the U.S. and I like being from the U.S. I beileve that it is Okay to step in and help out other countries who want or need our help and it Okay to give an opinion, but I also believe that it is not okay to take total control. If help isn't wanted, don't give it. Opinions are fine if not harsh, and if they are respectable and just opinions.
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“When it hurts to look back, and you're scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there.”

"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within."

[Necromis]

One thing that I see as funny is everyone is calling it BUSH that is doing this, when the topic is the US. First, the two political parties are the majority of voters, not the minority. The independants are the swing votes that make the election go one way or the other. Otherwise some independant Presidential canadates would have made it to the white house. Bush is our president for two terms because the people felt he was/is the right man for the job. Oil prices have nothing to do with the US and are actually more to do with India and China. Both of whom have started to grow rapidly and to consume large quantities of Oil. This is causing there to be less to buy, and there for the price goes up. Heard of Supply and Demand?

The US does what it has to, to protect its interests. It also steps in when others ask for help. You may not be concerned with N Korea and Iran having Nukes, but I sure am.

[clpo13]

Ideally, the only business the United States should have with the rest of the world is economic. A healthy nations trades with other nations. However, it shouldn't be our place to police the world. In fact, it should be quite the opposite. The world should be quite capable of taking care of itself. Our focus should be on our own country and our own problems. It's hard to heal the ailments of others when you're on your own knees.
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"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism." --Thomas Jefferson

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