Apparently, to many in the US, there is no concept of global trade. Europe has a unique set of problems (high retirement rates, socialized medicine, unemployment over 10%, social unrest - due to high taxes/immigration) that form the nexus for the vocal attacks emminating from European politicians. Have you noticed anything strange in European Trading practices over the past 10 year, a hint is that there are virturally no profitable investments in the private sector but rather a heavy reliance on State Start-ups of industry later passed to "friends/private oweners" due to unprofitablity, e.g., Europe cannot invest at home and turn a profit because of high taxes - even with the government absorbing the start up costs and giving incentives does not help. America has taken note of this trend and it is unlikely that the US will continue to "strategically" invest in losing industries in an attempt to keep manufacturing jobs or a "market share". The US has long since matured into an economy where 85% of business in internal, and import/export accounts for only 15% of the total economy. Europe is less than 5% today and further decline due to above mentioned factors will serve to only excalbrate this trend. Aside from oil, the US leads the world in Aerospace {why does everyone try to compete is for "strategic" reasons both poltical, economic and military}, Banking and Insurance, and Telecommunications. Nearly 70% of all financial transactions transmitted anywhere in the world are via US communications - a fee is charged:) If you look at State Department Trade negotiations, the US is more interested in opening Banking, Investments, Insurance, Communications, and aircraft trade to American expansion into these "strategic government markets" all over the world - Japan and China resist to this day in these areas due to losing finaincial grip on their own economies as they open to "fair" trading practices. These areas of trade do not show up in manufacturing statistics but rather in "services" accounts. Services does not mean fast food all the time and the US is again the world leader in this area. Americans fail to understand this basic factor when looking at Jobs and Production. America does compete in certain high tech manufacturing. Whether one likes the idea or not, the US makes a lot of money of Arms sales.
As for the problems of miscommunication with Europe, I happen to live here and these sheeple are deaf, dumb and blinded by retheoric from their socialist politicians. The bill is coming due here; the Value Added Taxes are around 20% on every purchase in Europe; in Germany gas is about a dollar a liter (3.75 liter = 1 gallon US); in The Netherlands a liter of prem gas is about 1.30 euro.... The governments in Europe scrape 50-72% off the top of your salary before you buy gas or make other purchases. The VAT started as temporary measures about the time the US Marshall Plan monies dried up for rebuilding Europe after WWII at the end of the sixities. Europe's grand medical and social programs were actually brought about by the savings to Europeans due to the Marshall Plan money in their economy. In Belgium, nearly 1/2 of the workforce is retired, unemployed and the other 1/2 enjoy fantastic benefits to the tune of 5 weeks vaction a year, 38 hour workweeks (and a very basic medical that is best for catastrophic illness's but not much on the medical maintenance coverage). Germany has over 10% unemployment, France more still. The misunderstanding with these three countries is attributable to the sudden realization that the very lucerative illicit trade with Iraq is about to come to an end; count Russia into the group that stands to lose but in worst financial shape due to no economy at all. European politicians in Belgium, France and Germany are very far to the Left and under severe pressure from the Conservative Right (it is not all the Eric Heiders either:)). There is a slow realization that the gravy train is coming to an end in European countries and Leftist Government Services cannot much longer exist - and so many stand to lose everything they were promised so they continue to vote to the left - but not enough is LEFT inside the economy to continue the chirade (French Chirac) much longer. This Conservative pressure will lead to further loses in Germany and France the next election cycle and this will correct the Miscommunication with those two European countries; Belgium is specail case but I suspect the weakening Euro this Summer will help maintain, along with their Colonies abroad, their Left leaning Politicians another 5-7 years. There is nothing American can do to apease or fix the transalantic rift, but Europeans themselves will vote the problems away.
Left in America and Europe are solemates, joined at the hip in opposition ot Republican Administrated America. Nothing will change this either:) Sad but time will wound all heels from the Left.
Therefore, given the 2-5 year duration of this rift, America cannot dwell on Europe but rather let her run her course as America expands her own horizons; In a very real sense the primary threats in the timeframe beyond 5-10 years lies in Asia as well - better to trade and intertwine the economies of all Asian countries to prevent them from fighting.... Globalization is a real risk but unavoidable.
Your post makes damn good sense. Most Americans have not a clue as to what is taking place in Europe ever since they went on the Euro dollar. But it goes further than that as living under a socialist structured system actually destroys a country. Europe might as well be living under a communist country in that there are too many holidays, too high of taxation on "income", and nobody there has the desire to invest. As long as the State continues to provide for individuals over in Europe, the individual lives for the State. And as long as the individual lives for the State the individual is recognized as a subject. Russia is one example and China is another.
I look at the Marshall Plan as a socialist incentive not to re-build an economy but to keep it