Dream World

As I’ve said numerous times, one of this country’s primary problems is an unwillingness to face facts.

What do you think the response from those living in other countries would be to the question, “Suppose a young person who wanted to leave this country ask you to recommend where to go to lead a good life – what country would you recommend?”

The Pew Research Center asked this question of 17,000 people in a variety of countries – India, Poland, Canada, Germany, China, Russia, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Spain, Britain, France, Pakistan, Netherlands and Indonesia. Only those from India chose the US as their first pick. Australia and Canada were the top choices of most of the other countries.

Maybe people from other countries – at least those from Europe and Asia - no longer look to the US as a beacon of hope. However, I think that we are still a beacon of hope to the Latin American countries.

Here’s another example of our wishful thinking. In a review of Clyde Prestowiz’s new book, “Three Billion New Capitalists”, it is stated that our Grade 12 students rank in the lowest 10% in math studies, but the students rank first in their assessment of their own performance.

You can only live in a dream world for so long. Reality eventually intrudes.