The US, in making massive technical progress, has lost much of what made it unique and successful.

I hate to repeat analogies, but sometimes there is little choice. If the anchor of a 4 X 400 meter relay crosses the line in first place but has forgotten to take the baton from his predecessor, his “victory” is meaningless, and the fellow crossing the line after him will represent the winning relay team. Getting to the finish first only matters if you do it the right way.

I was reminded of this simple fact when I once again saw a large group of youth “wilding” in Chicago. They terrorized stores, drivers, and pedestrians. They are not opposed to sacking a store of interest or beating up some passers-by. This is by no means the first time that such an event has been recorded in the city where I was born. Chicago had many nicknames: Second City, the City of the Big Shoulders, The Windy City, and The City That Works. Today, it is a crime-ridden dump, led by a clueless mayor who has half of the police department as his personal protection unit. His predecessor was no better, and one can only remind oneself that the people of the formerly great city voted in these clowns and get what they deserve. 

Historically, post-war Europeans looked down on American morality. Gary Hart’s political implosion from the picture of him with his mistress on the “Monkey Business” would make no sense in Europe—it might actually have increased his popularity. The French are okay with a president who has another woman on the side; their current pathetic leader is married to his former teacher. In the US, a week does not go by without a story of a teacher going to jail for having improper interactions with underage students. In France, it’s a road to the Elysée Palace. While the Europeans laughed at Bill Clinton’s affair having been a big deal, this was not always the case. De Tocqueville........

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