I have lived roughly 2/3 of my life in the UK, (apart from a year or so in OZ and NZ, and several months in France) and 1/3 in the US. Additionally, I have had extended visits (roughly 6 months each) to 6 Pacific Rim and 2 W. European nations, in addition to vacations in 12 other countries. This does not include foreign service with HM forces.
As of now, I can find no reason why I would take the retrograde step of giving up my UK citizenship.
Certainly, the standard of living in the US can be good, but certainly no better than life in the UK, Oz, NZ or any number of other countries. However, the quality of life generally falls far short compared to those same countries.
To make the statement:
?To simply be born and live in the US is essentially winning the lotto compared to other countries.?
is utter ignorant BS.
How many countries has Taggart lived in? How many countries has he even been to?
Most of the people I used to work with in NY City fell into two categories.
1) Those who had never been outside of the USA (some had not even been outside NY State)
2) Those who considered a week in Cancun a ?foreign travel experience?
I expect Taggart to fall into a similar category.
I can respect anyone, from any country, who feels a natural inborn love for his own country. I have no respect for those (it seems to be primarily Americans, unfortunately but I am sure there are mindless idiots in all cultures and nationalities) who wrap themselves up in their national flags and mindlessly mumble USA, USA, we are the best, land of the free, etc., etc., etc.
IMHO, such infantile drivel stems from either ignorance or a gross inferiority complex. Especially that insulting crap about ?the land of the free and the home of the brave?.
Other countries have as much, if not more, freedom, and the US certainly has no monopoly on bravery. Although it does seem to have a monopoly on "heroes", a "hero" being anyone from a NY Firefighter who risks his life (a hero), to a baseball player who "heroically hits a home run" (a steroid junkie)
?I would say that the difference between the U.S. and Europe is that Americans are simply less tolerant of government here.?
Generally, I have found Americans more tolerant (or possibly more inured) of government than Europeans. FWIW, I consider the lack of an adversarial system in the US, where ?pork barrel politics, ?cozy compromise? and ?the best democracy money can buy? (if you can call a republic based upon an electoral college a democracy) to be the biggest confidence trick in American politics. Especially now, when any dissenting voice is deemed ?unpatriotic?, whatever the hell that means.
I was originally thinking of buying a second (final) home in the Poconos (which is a beautiful part of the US, for those who have never been). However, after the last four years I have decided to wait a few more years and buy a cottage either in The Lake District, Cornwall or, heaven forbid, Pays-de-la-Loire in France. (so I can get to see the 24 hours again).
Don't get me wrong, I rather like America and Americans. I wouldn't have stayed so long if I did not. I do wish, however, that most would stop viewing their country through myopic rose coloured lenses, become a lot more pragmatic, a lot more worldly, and have the balls to finally admit that the America they laud so loudly is not the Alpha and the Omega, but just another country, no better, just bigger, than many many others.