© Sputnik/ Mikhail Klimentyev
Americans are viewed more negatively today than during the darkest days of the ill-fated Bush era.A recent Pew Research report suggests that the sun may be setting on America's international hegemony.
People polled around the world favor Russian President Vladimir Putin over a leading US presidential candidate for the first time, and a growing number of the world's inhabitants now have a negative view of Washington's economic and political influence.
Presumptive Republican nominee
Donald Trump appears to be not only one of the lowest-rated politicians among Americans since public opinion polling began in the 1960s, but he also seems to be affecting the country's reputation abroad.
Trump received a negative rating
by every single political party around the world, often by a measure of 10 to 1. Even voters from the anti-immigrant, populist UKIP and Forza Italia parties oppose the Republican by a 2 to 1 count. Overall, only 9% of respondents believe that Donald Trump would "do the right thing" in international affairs, compared with 85% who say they have no such confidence.
This turn away from "American exceptionalism" stretches beyond Donald Trump, however.
Nearly 42% of European respondents said they do not believe the current US government respects the personal freedoms of its people, ignoring values Washington claims to espouse.
America's international image is likely to suffer no matter the outcome of the election in November, as presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has a favorability rating 20 points below President Obama.
Even more concerning,
65% of European respondents viewed Americans as intolerant, with over half declaring the American people to be the most arrogant, greedy, and violent among global citizens. This stands in stark contrast with prior public opinion polls that showed a generally positive international view of the country's people, with most complaints reserved for the US leadership.
The poll shows that
under the Obama administration, America's image has suffered dramatically, with nearly twice as many respondents saying the United States plays a less powerful role in the international arena than it did ten years ago.
By contrast, Russia's international image appears to be on the rise.A majority of respondents in
China, India, and Greece agree that Russian President Vladimir Putin will do the right thing when it comes to matters of international importance. In fact, Putin outpaces both Obama and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in both China and Greece.
China's influence also appears to be growing, with respondents in France, Canada, and Australia saying they believe that Beijing has surpassed the United States in terms of economic importance.
Reader Comments
During the Bush years, I was in an Irish bar and a guy wanted to beat my face in when he found out I was from Texas. He changed his mind when I explained I probably hate the establishment more than he does. When are people going to realize not everyone is like the group others have put them into? So much violence and hate, usually perpetrated against the innocent because of what our evil overlords do.
“I could never understand ethnic or national pride. Because to me pride should be reserved for something you achieve or attain on your own, not something that happens by accident of birth. Being Irish isn’t a skill, it’s a fuckin’ genetic accident. You wouldn’t say ‘I’m proud to be 5’11”. I’m proud to have a predisposition for colon cancer.’ So why the fuck would you be proud to be Irish, or proud to be Italian, or American or anything?”
-George Carlin
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I had a friend who informed me she was not Native American. She was Mohawk. See what I'm getting at? Cultural identity is a very meaningful aspect of life and should be respected and preserved.
Yes, and we once ran around naked in caves howling at the full moon. In the age of information, it’s time to evolve our understanding and see ourselves as the HUMAN tribe.
Putin's attitude: "Our Western partners/colleagues may not always agree with us, but we are always open for dialogs."
Obama's attitude: "We will be expanding our military budget by a hundred Trillion dollars." - Bomb first, then bomb more.
Unfavorable opinion of the people of the U.S. surely comes from somewhere.
But where?
Mostly the movies...videos..."The News"; but, like understanding ANY peoples, a visitation is required.
Don't be fooled, people of the world.
The truth is not being spread on all fronts about who and what people of ANY country are about.
I don't want other people to form negative opinions of me until we meet and visit.
We can voice our assessments and our analyses of others 'til the moon falls out of the sky and still be wrong, because, guess what...?
We're all different...that's what it means to be individuals.
Let's all give ourselves the benefit of the doubt and remember; as much as we, the people, in America, believe ourselves to be "exceptionally free", we are in reality, still being led where the PTB need us to go, fight it as we may.
I'd bet that's pretty much the case in most every country one might be able to visit.
Still...do your homework before you go. It will make you look less like a tourist. Not much...but less.
Are you going to wear an American flag on your coat or luggage when you travel anywhere other than Canada, Australia or Great Britain?
Hacked private emails of the US general formerly in charge of NATO reveal a campaign to pressure the White House into escalating the conflict with Russia over Ukraine, involving several influential players in Washington. .........[Link]