For years, Americans often looked down on other countries, where people seemed to be unable to govern themselves.
These people lurched from crisis to crisis.
They couldn’t behave like grown-ups.
They couldn’t control their mobs.
They liked strongmen who showed little regard for the rule of law.
We wondered what was wrong with them.
They were unsophisticated. Simple-minded. Poor them.
We thought we were different. Better. Even exceptional.
Yet, here we are.
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