What an elegant and devastating take-down of a piece by Time's Managing Editor. Long, but I couldn't stop reading. Just amazing. I highly recommend it, especially to all my 'progressive' friends.
This was the political equivalent, for me, of reading a le Carre novel. Satisfying on so many levels. Which is ironic, considering Cornwell's political views.
. Great article. It seems that I as a Canadian know more about the U.S. Constitution that that boob Stengel. Once I finally reached the end I chuckled at the update and the epic face palm.
We need more intelligent people critiquing the MSM.
I still don't get the Americans aversion to health care though. The system you did manage to put in seems awful complicated and still for profit. I definitely do not want to debate it though (as a foreigner I will stay out of that storm).
I had posted before the updates - they indeed boggle the mind. Glad you mentioned them.
The nubby nitty gritty on healthcare is the control issue - once your personal healthcare becomes a matter of interstate commerce, the government can do anything, and I mean anything, using the commerce clause as justification and we all become wards of the state. I agree it's a difficult cross-border debate - too many differences, including a 10-fold difference in scale.
You are a strange Cannuck, but I top my hat to you on that fact alone (which makes you more knowledgeable than 75% of Americans too).
On the Topic: Reading the piece, I was beginning to worry about he Author. He definitely had a great care for the subject, and he wrote his rebuttal with a lot of restraint. But at times, he seemed he would bust a blood vessel!
I waited for the final shoe to drop, but he never said it. So I will here:
And Stengel votes.
The U.S. Constitution is one of those documents that students around the world could benefit from its study.
Canadians and Americans have a relationship that is like no other on the planet. While your population is 10 fold so our politics do not effect you as much but American politics can drastically change the lives of Canadians so I like to keep informed and even join in the discussions.
On the knowledgeable subject, most Canadians are just a dumb as Americans but the few of us that have a clue have a responsibility of trying to inform people. "Turn off that damn idiot box and join the real world" is a favorite of mine. I would much rather debate an intelligent person than try to inform a moron that couldn't care less until it effects them.