One of the defining traits of U.S. foreign policy is that our policymakers know shockingly little about the world that they presume to dominate and “lead.” I was reminded of this by this comment: Perhaps it is because that American policymakers understand other countries so superficially that they have the audacity to think that they know how they should be governed and how their governments should behave. If they understood any of these countries half as well as serious experts do, they might think twice before pressing ahead with their usual reckless folly.
Many US policymakers are delusional and have been for decades; you do a fabulous job of giving many examples. But the electorate is too ignorant (or complacent/distracted/similarly deluded) to detect this and has been for decades.
How can that be changed? What would have to happen to convince millions that Rubio and Cotton do not, in fact, know what they are talking about? Last week in the NYT either Brooks or Friedman mentioned both of these guys as people to look toward for new ideas "after Trump". Happily pretty much all NYT commenters found this ridiculous and explained why but...that will change nothing.
Many US policymakers are delusional and have been for decades; you do a fabulous job of giving many examples. But the electorate is too ignorant (or complacent/distracted/similarly deluded) to detect this and has been for decades.
How can that be changed? What would have to happen to convince millions that Rubio and Cotton do not, in fact, know what they are talking about? Last week in the NYT either Brooks or Friedman mentioned both of these guys as people to look toward for new ideas "after Trump". Happily pretty much all NYT commenters found this ridiculous and explained why but...that will change nothing.
Politics in a democracy, how does it work (out)?