Canaries in a coal mine
In the early years of Brock it was said that:
“All homeland Americans need to understand their future is to see how the United States treats its citizens abroad.”
Most Americans abroad know that the U.S. treatment of its citizens abroad is shocking and unconscionable. Yes, Americans abroad are subjected to U.S. citizenship taxation. But, Americans abroad are actually subjected to a more punitive form of taxation than are U.S. residents. Americans abroad were the early recipients of a “form” (pun intended) of viciousness from the United States that the both resident Americans and the rest of the world are now experiencing. Americans abroad saw it first and experienced it first. They had their collective OMG moment in 2011. Now the rest of the world is having its collective OMG moment.
In a real sense, the original Brockers were “canaries in a coal mine“.
We can afford to lose money, but we can’t afford to lose reputation – Warren Buffett
The strength of a country is based largely on the strength of its alliances. It’s obvious that the current administration has accelerated the decline in America’s reputation. It has accelerated the decline in the trust that people and other countries have in America.
In short, the United States of America is eroding its most important form of capital which is trust and reputation.
A fascinating interview with Oxford professor Margaret MacMillan
This is a great interview from outside the USA looking in.
It’s too bad that so many Americans can only see America from the inside looking in.