15 years ago I came to the United States
looking, as so many others, for the American Dream. In my case the American
Dream was not fame or wealth, just the opportunity of living in a country where
I could be a good citizen, enjoy rights and comply with duties, walk unafraid
in parks, stop at red lights in traffic, those civic virtues De Tocqueville
called the “habits of the heart”.
I am happy to report that my American Dream
has been essentially realized. I have been extremely happy in this admirable
country and have come to fulfill most of my aspirations. I pay taxes, walk
unafraid in parks and streets of my neighborhood and love to stop at red lights.
I have been living in a wonderland of
good civic behavior, as compared to my loved native country, Venezuela, once a
wonderful showcase of democracy in its own right, now a nightmare comparable to
the worst Hollywood horror movies.
U.S. conditions today have introduced some fractures
in my dream. There are events taking place which I see with increasing concern.
The first one is the progressive transformation of the political process, long
based in bipartisan cooperation and compromises, into one of partisan disharmony
and, even, strong animosity. This negative change in political attitudes
attacks the very foundations of the country. I never imagined that the U.S. long-existing ability to find rational solutions
to national problems could be transformed into distrust and hatred between the
two national political parties. Even the system of checks and balances, which
made it possible for the nation to overcome national tragedies such as Nixon’s, appears weakened in this new environment of political warfare between the two
parties.
And when the nation needed a president who
could unify the country with examples of personal equanimity it chose a
president who seems to thrive in the promotion of conflict. President Trump’s
manner has been one of almost permanent confrontation. His style, including
early morning twitters, his aggressive treatment of dissenters and his tendency
to utilize valuable presidential time in pursuing personal rancor, has generated tension and confusion among his
collaborators and important segments of the population.
The U.S. today faces great
problems: massive uncontrolled immigration from poorer countries; significant
racial tension; increasing social violence and its link to gun control; foreign
threats from different sources. These are all objective threats that require mature
leadership to be dealt with but, instead, find a national government in disarray, weakened
by lack of statesmanship at the top.
The presidential main task, in times like
these, is one of unification. However, U.S. political life has become an arena
for confrontation and, even, hatred. This represents a turn for the worse that
has no place in any American Dream.
Let us wish that these attitudes will change
for the better. It would be very sad that the real enemies of the country
succeeded, due to the internal fractures which keep appearing within the
government. I sincerely hope attitudinal changes take place, not so much for my sake, now approaching the end of a long and wonderful
journey, but for the sake of this great country, where I have found
happiness.
I would put the blame of all the present confrontation and race issues that we now have mainly to Barak Obama, who had an agenda to create a new USA. He wanted to "significantly change" the US into a new country, more attune with his socialist ideas, which he got from his education and life as a young man. Trump has not been the best communicating his ideas, but he inherited a country in serious turmoil thanks to eight years of a bad government.
ResponderEliminarThis is the true situation we now have and unfortunately it will take some time to correct it and get back to the true values that made this the great country is was.
ResponderEliminarI agree with Anonimo.
We are lucky we have Trump.
It is a good idea to Tweet to Him specially about Venezuela.
Your dreams will come true.
Trump has a thin skin. He is not into harmony but into confrontation. But that is his style and that is what is what helped him win the electoral college vote (not the popular vote).
ResponderEliminarMany of his actions are questionable from the ethical and moral point of view, but he won the presidency based on his controversial political campaign, so that is what we have (eso es lo que hay).
My wife, who is an anglo-American, is a devoted Republican who voted for Trump, despite the fact she did not like him at all. This shows the tendency mentioned by Ramon Escovar Salom called "solidaridades automaticas" which is not just a Venezuelan thing, but an Univesal attitude.
I do not like Trump myself. He is not refined enough, he does not use a filter when communicating, he is not polished and he has a strange affinity to Russia's Putin, in all, he is not Presidential. But he is the President.
Nevertheless, if he does something about freeing Venezuela from the chavistas, told my wife I will wear a Trump wig and go to Mar & Lago in West Palm Beach to thank him. Regarding Venezuela, he is doing more than George W. Bush and Obama together.
I also agreed with 1st Anónimo comment, I am giving more time to Trump to make an example out of Venezuela
ResponderEliminar"The U.S. today faces great problems: massive uncontrolled immigration from poorer countries; significant racial tension; increasing social violence and its link to gun control; foreign threats from different sources. "
ResponderEliminarWho wants more uncontrolled immigration from "shitty" countries: Obama/Clintons/all the Democrats/ the New York Times/the Washington Post/ CNN /MSNBC
Who increased the racial tension: Obama/Holder/the Democrats/ the New York Times/the Washington Post/ CNN /MSNBC
What Venezuelan in exile wouldn't love for Venezuela to have a Second Amendment raise your hands. The people that exploit every tragedy -and they are horrible- to eliminate the second amendment, you guess it, Obama/Clintons/all the Democrats/ the New York Times/the Washington Post/ CNN /MSNBC
How about foreign threats, I guess you mean NorKo and Iran, ok so who signed an agreement with NK back in the 90s giving them financial aid in exchange for NKs assurances its nuclear material would not be diverted for non-peaceful uses, you know who? the same guy who vouched for the fairness of the 2004 Referendum and gave you chavizmo for another 15 years, that guy also an admirer of all tyrants -as long they are leftists: Jimmy Carter. And who sent JC to negotiate and later took a victory lap with the signed piece of paper, Clinton.
And who sent billions of dollars in cash to Iran on an unmarked plane -reminds you of the "maletin" doesn't it?- to bribe Iran to sign a worthless agreement? that sophisticated, smooth talking friend of all the regimes that hate america, Obama, helped along by Kerry another democrat who has spent his entire life working for the governments that hate the united states.
And lets not forget all the stuff that you left out from your worries, the corruption of the IRS, the FBI, the DOJ and the Courts. Populated all by leftists who -just like chaviztas- don't give a crap about the rule of law and use their positions to advance their liberal ideology and punish their political opponents.
So at 84 years old Mr Coronel you voted for Hillary and a party that stands for everything you detest and are so thankful to have left behind because Trump affects your delicate sensibilities. You sound so wise in all your writing yet when it mattered you blew it and voted for the party and candidate that could ruin your "american dream". What have you learned in those 84 years?
Anita or whatever your real name is:
ResponderEliminarIt is hard to match your comments with my post. I spoke in a measured tone. You speak in a vulgar manner, not feminine at all, certainly not at the level of my post. You sound like a member of the Klu Klu Klan. Please take two tranquilizers and try again.
What does a member of KKK sound like? You forgot to call me also Hitler. You are reduced to critizice my 'tone' and lack of femininity, what a bunch of crap, maybe you don't realize it but what you just did is exactly how leftists debate. What a sad sorry end of a career.
EliminarIt sounds as if the reason you left Venezuela is because the Money Tree lost all it's leaves. You went to the USA, like so many other Latinos, you were broke and afraid. Afraid of your leaders, yet afraid to do anything about them. You come here to get the Socialist Dream, not the American Dream held high by President Trump. Your candidate Hillary Clinton along with Slick Willy would again be in the White House padding their personal pockets with many a dollar in the "Pay for Play" scheme they pretty much perfected.
ResponderEliminarWhen President Trump won election, he began to fulfill his promises, those of a safe and secure border, proper immigration policies, a robust economy, and merit hiring and pay scales. His cabinet is top heavy with Women and Minorities, the beneficiaries of his economic policy happen to be Black and Hispanic as well as white. The Left only oppose him because he won, they lost, even though they too stated his policies in prior years. Am Glad President Trump won and stopped our path into the depths of Venezuelan Socialism, a platform Bernie Sanders ran on. More and more people realize that Trump is thge answer to most of the problems facing America. He is a Pragmatist not a Socialist. He finds the problems, concentrates on the SOLUTIONS, not talking in lies and rhetoric, like the politicos of this nation.
Once upon, a time there was this poor guy with a flippant hairdo. He realized that he was in the greatest country on earth to achieve his dreams. He worked hard and surrounded himself with other ambitious, intelligent people with a vision of success. He employed local people, and people of color, he developed land that was not being used to it`s potential, he worked hard and long hours. He sacrificed a lot including 2 marriages to achieve his goals.
ResponderEliminarHe now has another dream. This time to help a troubled soon to be socialist country stop it`s journey to that demise. We are on a very slippery slope on this journey and will take a great effort to stop the fall into that crevice of mediocrity.
This knight with orange hair and small hands has taken that mighty journey himself and climbed back from almost failure to be strong in his resolve and passionate in his efforts to help others achieve their dreams as well. One dream is for us to be able to work hard and at least be able to keep HALF of what we earn while the rest taken by others will be spent wisely.
The Knight with his name written on big buildings also believes our borders have to be secure while we deal with the people here now. It is much easier to deal with a number that stays constant for at least a day.
Our people are becoming so lazy, maybe not because they enjoy sitting around getting a bit porky, but there are no jobs for the masses. They have been sent to other countries who are not burdened by cumbersome labor laws, like children working 12 hour days, or sweat shops requiring long hours, bad pay, and no Obamacare. Yup we are burdened by our own success.
The candidates on both sides would rather ignore these problems and spout all the rhetoric from 50 years ago, while one Knight in shining armor wants to help stop the pain.
Democrats said in 1968 "We are here to help the poor" there are more poor than ever. ·In 1972 they said "We want to help women" seems like more women work every day, in fact more than men. They said in 1976 they want free education, tuition is higher than ever and Killary gets $50,000 to speak at graduations. They always said they want income equality, seems like anyone who works gives half to those that don`t, isn`t that equal enough. They say that Sanger`s 1920`s Kill Black Lady`s Babys Planned parenthood is a health clinic, same rhetoric as before. Meanwhile the equal rights amendment was passed by Republicans to the solid resistance of Southern Democrats.
Republicans say they want to lower this, strengthen that, achieve this, blah blah blah but all ANY achieve is fatter paychecks and more bennies.
Maybe The Donald will not ride his horse alone and many a Senator and Congressman will also carry the sword to chop the waste, stop the crime on innocents, and start a recovery of our economy.
Just a thought
Some people are set forever and practice the "automatic solidarities" no matter what as described by Ramon Escobar Salom.
ResponderEliminarWe will always encounter the one way street fans, no matter where you are.
How do totalitarian dictatorships gain power in Latin America?
ResponderEliminarThe sell you the "Viking Socialism" like the one in Sweeden or Norway (from where Trump wants to import people, with socialistic tendencies, what a controversy).
Once these kake socialist criminals gain power, they turn around and give you a Stalinistic-Castro like tyranny. And you end up with a disaster like Cuba or Venezuela.
Viking Socialism can't be that bad, specially for Norway, who has savings accounts (nor reserves, but savings accounts)for a Trillion Dollars, which comes out to be about $200,000 for every man, woman and child of that 5 million people nation. Perhaps that is the reason Trump wants to import these socialist minded Norwegians, because of their savings, not because they are Viking Socialists.
Hey Don Gustavo, perhaps we should have pursued the Norwegian dream and not the American dream. At least that is what a good number of Venezuelans did(mainly PDVSA oil workers fired by assassin chavez). They went to work to Norway, which opened is wealthy country to them with a big welcoming sign. Now they are enjoying Viking Socialism. And if you enjoy or are willing to try winter sports, you will get the extra benefit of belonging to the country with most Winter Olympic medals (total medals). Per capita winter Olympic medals of a country with only 5 million people is out of just out of sight. Can you imagine, playing curling which is kind of like an icy "bolas criollas"...Yeeesssss
ResponderEliminarAnd when the nation needed a president who could unify the country with examples of personal equanimity it chose a president who seems to thrive in the promotion of conflict. President Trump’s manner has been one of almost permanent confrontation. His style, including early morning twitters, his aggressive treatment of dissenters and his tendency to utilize valuable presidential time in pursuing personal rancor, has generated tension and confusion among his collaborators and important segments of the population.
ResponderEliminarWhat did equanimity do for President George W Bush? Got him called ChimpyMcBushHitler. Ditto George Romney. Trump was not my first choice. I did like the way Trump threw the insults right back.
Speaking of "almost permanent confrontation...personal rancor," consider Hillary Clinton's remark about "deplorables." Recall Hillary saying she was directing that about only half of the Republicans. Consider a football coach who tells his team that half of his players are slackers. Ever one of those players is going to think to himself that HE could be one of those slackers. In effect, Hillary was insulting ALL Republican voters, not just half of them.
For that matter, consider what Barack Obama said in 2008 about rural people in Pennsylvania or in other states: "they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations." Bitter clingers. I grew up in a small town. That remark to me is an insult. Bitter clingers- by that remark Obama showed how little he knows about rural America.Or perhaps you don't think that characterizing rural people are "bitter clingers" is an insult- after all it's just like "monte y culebra."
When you have Democrat Presidential candidates insulting large segments of the population, as in the above, I wonder why you didn't bother to notice that also.
Democrats have had a sneering, condescending, smug self-righteous attitude for decades. There was a bumper sticker in the 1980s. "Vote Republican. It's better than thinking." Trump is not turning the other cheek to this. Good for him.
Disclosure: I used to vote Democrat.
Anónimo es Boludo Tejano
ResponderEliminarSadly, this post has become a polarized one (rather everyone against Gustavo Coronel). I am in the middle, regarding the issue. I think, neither Obama-Clinton nor Trump are the best choices for the USA-. Obama made many mistakes, but I think his policy towards Cubas was his worst mistake, unforgivable. Trump, for me, has too many "flaws" and I think he is an unsettled man for this position. I think, Coronel was clear in his position when he voted for Clinton: he wrote that he did not like either Clinton nor Trump. I think that who critize him now are showing a Manichean view of the things. I presumed most of them are Venezuelan, probably very sensitive about the issue, for obvious reasons. I am Venezuelan too, and I wish you are right about Trump and he decides to help decisevely our country.
ResponderEliminarI am surprised at the hostile tone of some of the comments because I did not write an endorsement of Obama o Bush or anyone else. I wrote a criticism of Trump but most of the comments took this criticism as support for the democrats. Nothing of the sort. They just showed the type of political cannibalism that I am criticizing I am just appealing to the sense of bipartisanship that prevailed during past times, for example, duriog Eisenhower's or Reagan's times, both Republicans. Reading some of the comments I am not stung I am just disappointed that the critics did no read my message well.
ResponderEliminarBut, this is part of the environment we are living in today.
I am just appealing to the sense of bipartisanship that prevailed during past times, for example, duriog Eisenhower's or Reagan's times, both Republican.
ResponderEliminarRecall the attempt of Republican congressmen to get some input during the construction of the Stimulus Package. Obama's reply: "I won." That is the Democrat view of bipartisanship.
In 1960, Richard Nixon didn't pursue attempts for recounts in Illinois or Texas, even thought both states had a lot of fraudulent ballots. Nixon didn't want a constitutional crisis, so he kept quiet.
By contrast, Hillary has been crying for the last year that she was robbed in the election. She has not alleged that Trump won with fraudulent ballots in the manner of JFK, but that the current rules such as the Electoral College are not fair. You know, the way we have managed elections for over 200 years is manifestly unfair because Hillary didn't bother to campaign in some states she thought were in the bag for her- until she lost them.
The complaining about the Electoral College is the old Democrat tactic of wanting to change the rules of the game at their convenience, such as the Massachusetts legislature changing the rules for filling US Senate vacancies 3 times in fifteen years- according to what party holds the Governor's seat. Another example of Demos wanting to change rules at their convenience would be the Florida 2000 recount. All of a sudden the Demos decided that thrown-out ballots- ballots designed by Democrats in Democrat-controlled counties needed to be reinterpreted. (Democrat behavior during the Florida 2000 recount changed me from Independent to Republican.)
Bipartisan- like California?
Bipartisan- left wing speakers never get their speeches disrupted,but "right wing" speakers often do. Charles Murray at Middlebury College, etc.
Bipartisan- like Harry Reid stopping debate on judicial appointments. Guess he might regret that move now. You remember Harry Reid, who in a good old bipartisan spirit claimed without any proof that Romney had cheated on his income tax returns.
The bipartisan horse left the barn long ago. Hace tiempo.