Laurent, you say you lived in LA for 10 years. I would not write that this made you an authority on the American experience. Though I agree with you on some points, the United States is still a fine place to live and one of the fine qualities it does possess is diversity. Judging the entire American way of life from one vantage point, California, is akin to judging the entire continent of Europe by, say, France. Yes, our healthcare system is a major mess; no argument there and many of our governmental policies are very unfair and not well thought out. We are not such ignorant beings that we all think someday we will get rich but the great thing about the U.S. is that it could happen. There are no more poor or rich or class divisions here than there are in France. It doesn't escape one to see that people still flock to the U.S. from everywhere and there must be good reason for it. I make no secret of my feelings for the locale in which I preside but that is my fault and I realize that there are many great places in the U.S. to relocate if I choose to do so. I am glad that you are an advocate of France but I would not choose to live there, don't even want to visit. This country has many problems, as all do, but the American way of life is a great one. This reminds me of the old saying that I can talk about my family but I don't want anyone else to do it.
mack
