| It does matter what foreign countries think of America. It matters not only for reasons of stature and respect, it also directly affects our resourses and quality of life. |
| A survey by Latinobarómetro, a Chilean opinion research firm, found that the percentage of people in Latin America with a positive image of the United States fell to 61 percent in 2005 from 68 percent in 2000.
Source: "Voices of Discontent: Anti-U.S. Leaders Seek Allies" - NY Times - 9/23/06 As the war in Iraq continues for a fourth year, the global image of America has slipped further, even among people in some countries closely allied with the United States, a new opinion poll has found. Favorable views of the United States dropped sharply over the past year in Spain, where only 23 percent said they had a positive opinion, down from 41 percent last year, according to the survey. It was done in 15 nations, including the United States, this spring by the Washington-based Pew Research Center. Other countries where positive views dropped significantly include India (56 percent, down from 71 percent); Russia (43 percent, down from 52 percent); and Indonesia (30 percent, down from 38 percent). In Turkey, only 12 percent said they held a favorable opinion, down from 23 percent last year. Although strong majorities in several countries expressed worries about Iran's nuclear intentions, in 13 of 15 countries polled, most people said the war in Iraq posed more of a danger to world peace. Russians held that view by a 2-to-1 margin. "Obviously, when you get many more people saying that the U.S. presence in Iraq is a threat to world peace as say that about Iran, it's a measure of how much Iraq is sapping good will to the United States," said Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center. Many respondents distinguished between their largely negative feelings about President Bush and their feelings about Americans in general. Majorities in 7 of 14 countries polled, not including the United States, had favorable views of Americans, led by Japan, at 82 percent, and Britain, at 69 percent. But majorities in just two countries, India and Nigeria, expressed confidence in Mr. Bush. Source: "Global Image of the U.S. Is Worsening, Survey Finds" By BRIAN KNOWLTON - NY Times - June 14, 2006 Our budget deficit this year will be around 500 billion (half trillion) dollars. Under the Bush administration, the federal government is spending more than it takes in at the rate of about $900,000 per minute, according to Sen. Kent Conrad (D- North Dakota) in a speech from Jan 26, 2004 About half of that money is borrowed for foreign sources…foreign banks, investors, etc. (Around 40% from Japan alone.) Americans currently are saving only around 5% of their incomes. This currently provides just enough money to supply capital for the government to borrow to stay afloat. That means that if our savings rate dips (which could certainly result from this recession), we will be at the mercy of foreign countries to lend us money to maintain our lifestyles. If those counties that lend (or might lend) us money are provoked by our foreign policies, they could easily decide to invest their money elsewhere. Our money supply could dry up. Source: summarized by the author from a story broadcast on PBS - News Hour, 2/19/04 Incidentally, this unbroken streak of borrowing is unsustainable as well. At some point (and the sooner, the better) we simply have to balance our budget again (as was done during the Clinton administration) and begin paying-as-we-go. |
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