The End of Exceptionalism

America has always had immigration "waves" throughout our history. What is different now is that the Latin immigration doesn't seem to have an end. This, in my opinion, is due to poor leadership. I think we should approach this two-fold: develop a functioning worker program that allows workers into the US and tracks their work history, but also we should be working with our neighbors to minimize the economic insentive for the workers to leave in the first place.

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Comment one; some of the comments are awesome, a few of my fellow Americans have really gotten twisted hard. Comment two; not overly accepting of immigration?, simple bro, the average American has been abused by the open borders of the last three decades. Moderation in all things, this is a flood and the man on the street is finally feeling it. Maybe something to do about your culture, whatever it is or isn't, it's what you know and it kinda sucks to watch it erode lform under your feet.

I agree with Mr. Zakaria. The U.S. has always been a leader, a catalyst for change but, as the rest of the world begins it's evolution to free trade and a global economy, the U.S. resembles the octogenarian refusing to accecpt new ideas. It is in our best interest to continue to lead innovation and encourage academic and social exploration. Isolationism will only hurt the U.S. economony. More and more the countries of the world are interdependent on eachother to survive; this is a world economy we are living in and to deny that, is to breed disaster. Legal immigration is an important part of our country's dynamic. Without legal immigration America would not be what she is today. Remember, we are a country of immigrants and it is importan that we preserve our American Dream. In response to Max40's comments on marriage and gays - marriage is really a religious term. The U.S. government cannot dictate whether or not a church chooses to marry individuals but government can, and should, offer unions to those people interested in pursuing them. The definition you, Max40, have assigned to marriage is yours; the government cannot endorse it nor can tehy dispute it - it is, again, a religious distinction. Please do not confuse your religious beliefs with law.

We are expeptional. your greatness is determined by the number of enemies you have. 90% of the world hates us. so the question is what is the rest of the world going to do about it......nothing is the answear. The world talks and we rule. Don't give me any of that if only we would return to what we were crap. We kick ass and don't care about the names. Remember wiped out the natives here, destroyer half or own country in a civil war. only country to fight a two front war and win. used 2 nukes on cities. ...you better under stand who we are before you mess with us.

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The USA has perfected Corporatism also known as Fascism. The quiet surrender of basic rights are merely the the half-submerged tip of the iceberg that was the republic envisioned by the US Constitution...the now-dead former republic of the USA.

The world's largest wealthiest robber-barons now effect corproate takeovers of entire client state countries and regions that provide them oil, mineral, labor and market resources for the international corporate crime syndicate of large business: Fascism.. The US taxpayer supplies labor, taxes and blood to fuel the robber baron crime family with opulent spoils of empire. This system is the Military Industrail Complex. This immutable fact translates into the modern fuedalism enforced worldwide by mercenary armies owned and dirested by robber barons: Democrats and Republicans.

None of these observations are frivolous or even questionable. The fear, ignorance and superstition of the American taxpayer whose lives fuel the corrupt Dem-GOP duoploy of plutarchs, means that the US governmenet exists solely as the militant Fascist head of global empire whose CEO's and CFO's daily exert whatever media, fear and military rescousces are required in order to maintain corrupt unabridged power.

The US political Dem-GOP duoploy is simply the publicist-division working in tandem with CNN, Fox News, MSNBC et al to insure that US citizens' fears are molded and timely directed at corporate takeover targets like Iraq and Iran. Their oil will keep the corrupt duoploy in power with generous weapons and energy CEO's kicking-back campaign contributions, thusly insuring the next "terrorist" branded country whose citizenry misbehaves under the corporate crime family of robber barons.

When the world is flat, it is difficult to carry out Exceptionalism, it just strains the fabric of society and will lead to options other than liberal.

i thought U.S. have the sympathy of the world, but I guess i was badly mistaken. The country we look up to is slowly vanishing from our sight, I'm not an american, but I wish U.S. will manage to restore their place in the world.