It's exactly the opposite, actually. Most US citizens, not engaged in debate on international forums, get really pissed off at the arrogance of foreigners for expressing opinions on US politics. How dare they, they think.

I don't think that is the opposite. Both are true in fact.

I think they know. They've seen America as a bearer of democracy for a long time, and now it's losing that role model position, or worse yet, it keeps the role model position, but it's just not a very democratic position anymore, and everyone else starts following that or gets pressured into doing it. That's what they fear.

I still think it's unbelievable how disproportionately dangerous the content industry is to the rights of everyone in the world. I mean even if the US Government itself set out to try to convince other countries to just be more dictatorial so they can control their own people, they probably wouldn't be as successful. But the content industry itself, with some manipulation of the US Government, is managing to do that on what seems to be like a global scale.

And they even have the nerve to say that we should be more like Iran and China regarding our Internet. They say that publicly and almost get away with it, as they list the "benefits" of such a more authoritarian outcome.

It's been a very long time since people outside the US have seen it as a "bearer of democracy."

The USTR has long been a bully that pushes for trade terms advantageous to the US, even if it tramples human rights.

Well I guess that's true, but at least the perception was there, especially since more than 10 years ago most people didn't have Internet and it was a lot harder to find out about stuff like this. But now that positive perception is fading away quickly, too.

ha, US as a role model. Good one.

We can't vote. Simple as that. I actually do care a lot, and I feel violated if the law passes, but I'm completely helpless.