Ugly Americans

"We are seen as loud, arrogant and completely self-absorbed," said Reinhard, chairman emeritus of the advertising agency DDB Worldwide. "People see in us the ultimate arrogance — assuming that everybody wants to be like us."

This month, San Francisco-based BDA — whose board includes executives from Exxon and McDonald's — began distributing a "World Citizen's Guide" to corporate travelers. Its 16 points are a mirror image of the behavioral patterns that earned Americans a boorish reputation in the first place.

My take is that, everyone does want the power of America and Americans. They just aren't willing to be Americans, obviously. Because to be Americans, might mean that they would have to be limited by the US Constitution in the exercise of this power and that's a big no no to the dictators and Europeans.

I'm just saying, everyone would love the money and power of the United States, that is pretty obvious.