Basket Case Nation

North Americans take pride in self sufficiency, savvy around tools, rough and ready survival skills... or call 'em pioneer values.

This superficial veneer somewhat masks the deeper historical truth of accepting a lot of help from indigenous peoples upon first arriving, and not ever really stopping. Lots of help is still given, daily.

If there's a North American nation qualified to be advising the world on world affairs, that'd be the one north of the USA, but Canadians are wisely humble, aren't strutting and puffing in the guise of a superpower, armed to the teeth, ready to rumble.

The superpower gig is very expensive, leaving nothing but scraps for Katrina's victims, which included a once major world class city. "Our Chernobyl" as some describe it.

The USA should develop a greater ability to accept foreign aid, psychologically as well as institutionally. There's no shame in getting some help when you need it.

Calling the USA a basket case nation doesn't negate the reciprocal truth, which is that the USA does a lot of good in the world. But it'd do even more simply by admitting the obvious, that this pose of "superpower" is an immature cover for deep insecurities.