I don't necessarily agree with all they do but ....

Thanks to the Adam Smith Institute I have just discovered another interesting blog: The American Expatriate.

As expected, the blog is devoted to arguments against the perpetual sniping and destructive criticism of all things American in this country and, particularly, in the media.

My own personal view is that I have no problems with left-wing anti-Americanism, stupid and mindless though it is. After all, there the division is ideological. They hate capitalism and liberal democracy and the United States is the strongest and most powerful example of it.

But the ones that really turn my stomach are the right-wing anti-Americans. Their gripe seems to be nothing but envy and resentment, coupled with a refusal to look at and deal with the problems a little nearer home.

How often have we heard from all sides of the political spectrum the dumb comment about President Bush being the most powerful man in the UK? How is that? Well, whinges the person who thinks that this is a truly astonishing apercu, Tony Blair listens to him all the time and does what he is told.

Ahem, say I at times like that, just exactly what is it that President Bush tells him to do? And while we are on the subject, I add, who exactly legislates in this country?

Usually, one gets a blank stare. Legislates? What has that to do with being the most powerful person, another completely meaningless phrase in political discourse? You have heard of the fact that eighty per cent of our legislation comes from the European Union. Would that not make the Commission, the sole initiator of legislation, a tad more powerful than President Bush who may or may not give Prime Minister Blair instructions?

Do they listen? I don’t know.

Back to the blog, though. I particularly liked its response to what must have been the usual kind of nasty snivelling produced by the Independent about American mean-mindedness. Though I don’t necessarily agree that handing over all that money to the UN and various NGOs is a great idea.