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Showing Original Post only (View all)My family and I are in Holland on a visit [View all]
Last night we ate dinner at a local Indian restaurant. A Dutchman and his wife sat at the next table. Small talk ensued and, once it was determined that we were Americans, he asked us the question seemingly on every European's mind these days: "What do you think of Trump?" When my family, in unison, said that he was a blight on everything the USA stands for, he applauded and added that everyone he knows wonders how we blundered into a Trump presidency.
In a nutshell, I explained that, unlike the Dutch, some Americans wish to interpret our Constitution as enabling individual freedoms and liberties, but not societal freedoms and liberties. Whereas the Dutch may have realized long ago that "united we stand, divided we fall", Americans are resistant to that ideal. It's a pity, because the deprivation of a safety net (due to cost) leads to far higher costs to society. The Dutchman pointed out that no one in Holland needs to fear the "bottom falling out", because programs exist to guarantee health care, housing, food, and basically all the essentials of life.
Why can't we look out for each other in the USA? Why do the so-called "patriots" insist that America is an "every man and woman for themselves" society when a compassionate government leads to happiness, pride and inclusion?