Page 6 - WDT Magazine Egypt

RON & MARY JAMES
EDITOR’S NOTE

EDITOR/PUBLISHERS

Ron & Mary James

ASSISTANT EDITIOR

Mia Sellfe

ART DIRECTOR

Don Inhousen

CIRCULATION

Jake Washington

STAFF WRITERS
THE NEW UGLY AMERICAN Alison DaRosa

or the last few years, there’s been an elephant curity and environmental alliances once championed Priscilla Lister
in the room when we talk with people we meet by America will spawn far-reaching unintended con-
Fon our travels abroad. Not surprisingly, that sequences. Uncertainty mounts as the democratic John Muncie
elephant happens to be the President of the United moral compass the United States once provided spins
Jody Jaffe
States, Donald Trump. In his short time in office he has severely out of whack.
shocked the entire world with bullying, lies, name- Jeff Flake, retiring Republican Senator from Arizona, COLUMNISTS
calling, and reckless and dangerous leadership. blistered the administration in a commencement ad-
He has redefined the meaning of Ugly American. dress in July 2018. "Our presidency has been debased Robert Whitley
The pejorative term used to refer to perceptions of by a figure who has a seemingly bottomless appetite
Susan McBeth
loud, arrogant, demeaning, thoughtless, ignorant, and for destruction and division. And only a passing famili-
ethnocentric behavior of Americans abroad and at arity with how the Constitution works.”
FEATURE WRITERS
home. Add dangerous, crude, and habitual liar to that People from around the world used to love to visit
list, and you have our president. America – not so much anymore. Data this year from Sharon Whitley Larsen
Since the first World War much of the world viewed the Commerce Department reported that the foreign
America as the rock of democracy - not always right travel to our country declined 4% and resulted in $4.6 Carl Larsen
in every decision, but reliable to do the best thing. The billion in lost revenue and 40,000 lost jobs. The
Maribeth Mellin
administration, under Trump, is considered a wildcard industry calls it the Trump slump.
making the world significantly more dangerous. The “It’s not a reach to say the rhetoric and policies of Amy Laughinghouse
President’s humiliating actions at the 2018 G7 and this administration are affecting sentiment around
NATO summits have shaken our most important al- the world, creating antipathy toward the U.S. and af- Judy Garrison
lies. fecting travel behavior,” Adam Sacks, the president
Wibke Carter
He uses tariffs and immigration as political bargain- of Tourism Economics, told The New York Times.
ing chips, endangering our economy and shredding As bad as it is, we know from history that right-
Kathi Diamant
long held relationships with our partners. At the same headed, good-hearted Americans, regardless of
time, his bizarre embrace of dictators and despots like their party, will not long tolerate this kind of insane, Margie Goldsmith
Russia’s Vladimir Putin raises valid questions about rudderless leadership. Polls show Americans are
his allegiance to America and the constitution. ready to make it happen. The world is looking to Michael Burge
Our foreign friends once dismissed American poli- the American voter and the Justice department to
Brian Clark
tics as an entertaining soap opera; that has changed, make things right. We promise to do our part -- we
they are no longer amused. They rightfully fear that will continue our exploration of this planet, but even ADVERTISING SALES
President Trump’s disengagement from strategic se- more than that – we will resist and vote.
Ron & Mary James Wine Country Interactive Inc.

6 WDT MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018 San Diego | New York | London