THE STUMP OCTOBER 7, 2011
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Ronald Steel apparently had it wrong when he titled his magisterial 1981 biography of our magazine's co-founder "Walter Lippmann and the American Century." For how could the 1900s have been the American Century when, according to Mitt Romney, the American Century has just begun? From Romney's highly-touted foreign policy address at the Citadel this morning:
But I am here today to tell you that I am guided by one overwhelming conviction and passion: This century must be an American Century. In an American Century, America has the strongest economy and the strongest military in the world. In an American Century, America leads the free world and the free world leads the entire world.
God did not create this country to be a nation of followers. America is not destined to be one of several equally balanced global powers. America must lead the world, or someone else will. Without American leadership, without clarity of American purpose and resolve, the world becomes a far more dangerous place, and liberty and prosperity would surely be among the first casualties.
Let me make this very clear. As President of the United States, I will devote myself to an American Century. And I will never, ever apologize for America.
You hear that, China, India and Brazil? Stick that in your pipe and smoke it. Well, don't smoke, of course, or drink coffee either. But, well, you know what I mean. Don't even think this is your century. Maybe you can have the next one. Or who knows, maybe by then things'll have passed you by and it'll be the...Mexican century! Or the Turkish century! Or the Greek century! (Or did they already have theirs, back in the day?)
Oh, and that bit about not apologizing for America (which also provided the title of Romney's latest campaign book)? It's not true.
9 comments
This "apology" business is crap, of course, but it's par for the course in teabaggerland where, if Obama praises the U.S., it's just a tactical diversion while if he does any criticizing it's all genuine.
- ironyroad
October 7, 2011 at 1:08pm
If this is America's century, then why did we elect a Kenyan as President. Speaking of WL, I recall reading many years ago that Robert Redford had purchased the movie rights to WL's s biography. For those not familiar with his life, it would have been a love story. Whatever happened to the movie project?
- rayward
October 7, 2011 at 1:11pm
I think you could read that as "this century should be ANOTHER American Century, like the last century was the FIRST American Century." But that speech is so full of jingoistic sabre-rattling, you'd think we didn't just spend 10 years and two trillion dollars trying to pacify Iraq and Afghanistan with limited success. What, when a Democrat does it, it's "Nation Building!" and a problem. But when a Republican wants to do it, it's "American Hegemony!" Frankly, I prefer the "First among equals" point of view -- it doesn't require you to take responsibility for every little civil-war conflict all over the world. And I'd prefer if you didn't interpret that to mean we have to be more equal than everyone else -- that's way too Orwellian for me.
- AllanL5
October 7, 2011 at 1:48pm
Also, regarding "someone else will" -- seems to me for the last decade we've been dismantling our production infrastructure, off-shoring manufacturing jobs, deficit spending to finance two wars, and making up the difference by selling T-Bills to China. None of those are the actions of somebody who wants to remain in first place.
- AllanL5
October 7, 2011 at 1:51pm
This "apologize for America" gibberish seems endless. I can't wait for the debate when finally Obama can have the tv station moderator play the full clip or show the full text of the "apology" so we can put this harmful nonsense to rest. (Didn't the Democrats have a moment a few months ago where they actually took a ridiculous, self-propagating Republican lie head on, about health care or something, and publicly corrected them with video evidence & such in a press conference? I think Senator Schumer took the lead. Why don't they do that more often?) The Republicans who repeat this lie with impunity will have a helluva time slipping out of it once more Americans see the lines of the speech that somehow birthed these last months & years of lying about it.
- Konstantin
October 7, 2011 at 2:22pm
Now that we know that God did not create the United States to be a nation of followers, I'm looking forward to more insights from Mr. Romney on God's intentions, like which country did He create to be a nation of followers?
- brokensq
October 7, 2011 at 2:48pm
Curious that all this America-firsting is coming from a man whose grandparents fled the United States to Mexico because of their objection to America's prohibition on polygamy. I wonder how many Republican voters have something like that in their family history?
- wildboy
October 7, 2011 at 3:31pm
Good point, brokensq. I like how Romney is addressing Citadel cadets with this God-talk now, setting up the seamless transition to sanctified, thus God-approved, thus justified, future war efforts. Kind of funny how the United States is actually older than Romney's religion, though. How did God create something so perfect even before He sent Joseph Smith to our world to make it even more perfect? Nah, let's not think about that, not while the pandering to the Southern right wing vote is going so well! I love being in uniform during a holy war! I wasn't sure there was a reason to re-up with the Army, but now I know. Thanks for finally giving me a higher purpose, Republicans!
- Konstantin
October 7, 2011 at 6:16pm
"If this is America's century, then why did we elect a Kenyan as President" LOL. Thanks Ray.
- Tristan
October 7, 2011 at 6:53pm