When talking with international people about US politics, I always wind up feeling defensive...

[Cant trust em]

even though I usually agree with them. I still wind up feeling like this isn't their business.

I was talking with this British guy last night about how corrupt our political "system" is. I didn't disagree with anything he said, but still pretty annoying.

It's like I can bitch and moan about my sister, but if someone from the outside has anything to add, then it's not going to end up well.

[Flaneur]

1. You should feel defensive. We're an embarrassment.

[bobbolink]

2. Exactly.

And it hasn't changed. :(

[mwrguy]

10. an embarrassment and a threat

all rolled up into one.

[Uzybone]

3. Depends on which international people

Western Europeans can generally look upon our political system with disdain.

Everybody else is by far more corrupt than we are.

[rockymountaindem]

4. After that giant expense scandal that swept their Parliament?

I would say that the British are not ones to talk about that subject at the moment.

[Zix]

8. That was ghastly, but we're not embarassed about it. We're ANGRY about it - AT THEM.

It's not my fault my politicians are hideous liars! And they've been told, now. Hopefully there will be some sort of improvement. David Cameron's cut ministers' salaries, for a start.

There are plenty of things Britain could be embarassed about but I don't think the expenses scandal is one of them.

[Zix]

5. Everyone gets defensive when their nation is questioned. I'm Scottish and it makes my blood boil

when people insult my country. Unless it's my countrymen, of course...

I do think it's difficult to compare like with like across national boundaries and if you're in the unfortunate position of being born in a country that actually does have problems it often hurts worst of all to hear it from foreigners.

These days I try to be humourous about it and acknowledge if people are actually right. Nothing wrong with talking up your achievements, though!

[Cant trust em]

7. You're Scottish?!?!?!? Don't even get me started!

Just kidding.

[Zix]

11. Kidding, huh? HUH?

Purrum up, buddy! Them's, uh... kiddin' words...

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

15. Let's experiment. OK, here it goes...

Haggis is gross.

[Zix]

16. .

.


...






.....


Raaaaarrrrgh!

[WeDidIt]

6. The thing is, our poltiics affects them more than their politics affects us

and you actually have a say in our politics whereas they don't. This will put them on point and make them agressive when discussing American politics with Americans. The only way they get any say in our politics is to convince an American of their viewpoint.

That's why you get the defensive feeling because they are always going to be aggressive about US politics.

[Zix]

12. Excellent point. If America gets a cold, the rest of the world gets pneumonia.

I'm really wishing the States could get rid of the drug war stuff. I firmly believe the only reason anyone else has hung onto prohibition is because of the American stance. It's very sad for a lot of people in Scotland, lots of lives destroyed.

[sui generis]

9. one thing you can be sure of

as a general rule if a European is sharing an opinion with you, it's because they trust you enough to be able to discuss it without judgment. And also because politics makes them feel a little superior, BUT recall we've rubbed "America über Alles" in their faces forever and felt superior about it.

Tit for tat. :P

[Nye Bevan]

13. Our political system is really not that much more corrupt than theirs

Google Lord Ashcroft scandal, "cash for questions" and of course the Parliamentary expenses scandal.

The thing that I am terribly embarrassed to discuss with Europeans is of course our health system. Of course since Obama's reform my embarrassment has gone down some, but when people from most European countries get full medical care free of charge they have a right to feel superior in this regard.

[Codeine]

14. A few hours on the websites of foreign newspapers

will quickly disabuse you of the notion that American politics are uniquely corrupt or compromised. Europeans are canny enough to realize they know way more about our politics than we know about theirs, so they use that as an effective debating tool. Our own fault for being provincial.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

17. It depends on what their bitching about

I tend to get pretty irritable with the people who complain about our "way of life" since I am a SoCal Suburban Douchebag and proud of it but most other issues don't really bother me.

I always laugh when the issue of evolution comes up, since to listen to the European media you would think the creationism museum in Kentucky is as popular as Disneyland.

[Zix]

19. "they're", darling, not "their".

Oh, the irony.

:P

[NNN0LHI]

18. Like Otis the town drunk. He may be a drunk but he is our drunk

So don't be fucking with him.

Don