Living in a glass house...

Like it or not the rest of the world is watching us and holding it's collective breath. I recently saw an interesting report on CNN's World News about how our election is being followed by the rest of the world and it reminded me of how small our little blue rock can get sometimes. For years now we have been bombarding the rest of the world with images of our culture. Through radio, television, satellite, print and any other marketing medium we can devise, we put ourselves on display for all the world to see. Why do we find it so surprising that the rest of our would watch our election with any less vigor than our Baywatch? Apparently more people in other countries have been watching our debates and political coverage than our own citizens. The report commented on how in many countries the entire, translated, transcript of the debates is published in the following days paper. We don't even devote entire paragraphs to actual quotes in our papers. A couple of sound bites, some pseudo-intellectual dumbed-down translation for the mid-westerners and maybe a picture or two. It seems them damn "furiners" care more about who our next president is than we do. There is even a site( www.tellanamericantovote.com ) for non-Americans to chide their American friends to vote. There is a point that we should all consider as Americans and earthlings. That point being that up until now the rest of the world has not associated the actions of our government and it's foreign policy with the American people. That will not be the case if we re-elect George Bush. The polls of over 30 countries are 66% for John Kerry(or against George Bush however you like to phrase it ) including our "Coalition" partners. Those of us who travel outside the borders will have to contend with the fact that we will all be seen as Jerry Springer audience members by the population of the host country we happen to visit. Bush me once shame on you. Bush me twice shame on me. This has practical applications that bear consideration.

We do a lot of business abroad and that business can easily go to our competitors. Much of international business it nuanced and cultural. If you walked into a business meeting with a bunch of Libyans you might have some pre-conceived notions about them before word one was said. There are plenty of conservatives that will not see a Michael Moore movie, regardless of topic, on principal alone, just to deny him the price of admission and yet they will vociferously potificate on it's contents until your eyes bleed. Ignorant? Yes (usually proudly so). Surprising? No. But it illustrates the point that people's preconceived notions about you, however ignorant, aren't necessarily fair or accurate and that it can effect you financially. Don't sell your products overseas it's called a TRADE DEFICIT and that causes INFLATION and/or RECESSION.

Security is another consideration. If Joe Public is directly associated with the foreign policy of our government we will become open targets for those who seek to deal a blow to our government. Not just by Jihadists but any group with an ax to grind with our government. Then we can really see what it is like to be Israelis. My opinion is formed from the years I have spent with ordinary people in countries all over the world, including the Middle East. We as Americans are more associated with Happy Days and MASH than we are with the government. Change that association and we will feel what it is like to be an young Muslim looking man in New York. The primary assumption about us will be negative and prejudiced. We are not used to feeling this and before we go hurtling over that precipice I just think it bears consideration.

I am not saying you shouldn't be willing to stand up for what you believe in, even if it is not popular. I am just suggesting that you consider the real cost you will have to pay for your stand.

Yee-Haw is not a foreign policy.

P.S. I will be on plane today for business and gone for a week so if I don't post or reply right away it's not intentional I'm just trying to do my part for the economy.