On the contrary. My opinion is quite informed, based on study. For example, 70 percent of Canada's current exports are to the United States, and that's the lowest percentage in almost thirty years. So how much of their economy relies on a strong and economically-healthy nation down south? How many nations have spent the last half century relying on U.S. defense and not having to maintain any real defense programs of their own? Some of these countries have spent the saved money on welfare states, then turned around and lectured us on our priorities.

What the heck do "cultures" have to do with it? I did a tour of Europe, and not the back country either. I missed a hell of a lot of things that Americans take for granted. If you look at the list of Americans who have moved out of the U.S. and taken residence in other countries, most of them are very rich and largely insulated from whatever is going on around them. To be fair though, we mostly hear about the famous ones.

You might want to update yourself on Ireland's economy.

In short, if the U.S. becomes to crappy to live in, noplace else is going to be much better.