politics

our vast natural beauty protected by the federal government in perpetuity

Well, for the moment, anyway....

Well, the idea of running a Constitutional republic "like a business" is stupid for a whole lot of reasons, but having Taco run it like one of his "businesses" is....next-level stupid.

Especially if you hate cheeto and complain about him online.

Aside from politics, the US has a ton to offer for someone that wants to experience the world. The Rockies, Appalachian trail, Great plains, deserts, huge rivers and lakes, and a bunch of other natural beauties. Not that mountains and bodies of water don't exist elsewhere, but when it comes to nature, there's something for anyone that likes being out doors.

From a tourist side of things, places like Disney World, Universal, Las Vegas, New York City, and others just don't have the same thing elsewhere. I'm more into the nature side, but lot's of people really enjoy the big cities and amusement parks. The Rockies also offer some of the best snowboarding and skiing in the world, and there's only 1 Appalachian trail.

Too bad politics makes all of that less safe for foreigners and is actively enshitifying nature.

Throwing aside the current administration... There's so much to see in the US. All the national parks and other sights. It's a roadtripper's dream. One of the most diverse countries as far as landscape and climate is concerned. We have Disneyland in Europe (Paris), but there's Disney World in Florida which is way bigger (never been to either, not THAT big of a fan myself, but I know there's loads of Disney fans). NYC, LA and SF are all great cities to visit I hear, though I've only been to NYC (lots of fun - there's so much to discover just by walking around)

Now as a foreigner I'm slightly scared of the current admin despite being pasty white, so I'm not going to visit again anytime soon. But one day I would like to come back for sure. Until then... I do still have a LOT of Europe to discover as well, I've only spent any real time in my neighboring countries, others I've visited very briefly.

I had a Finnish friend visit me in LA a few months ago and he had an absolute blast. There are still plenty good people and things to do and see in the US.

Not even the english speakers

Glory to A ~~rstotska~~ merica

And Russia and North Korea

As an American even I don’t want to leave because I’m very critical of this administration and god forbid they’d somehow connect me with my online persona. I just don’t want the pain they could cause. I don’t “think” they could deport me (50s very white male) but who the fuck knows at this point. Gravy seals that are cosplaying as some military elite in their tacticool gear are just snatching people off of the street.

The reality is this:

They are accosting and hassling/turning away people who aren't white. And I see pushback on this in the weirdest forms, people saying how most immigration officers are hispanic or black also, etc. That does not matter. This is entirely superficial and ordered by higher-ups and designed to drive up hate and racial tension so we don't unify. If you're not white, you face significant chances of being hassled at immigration but there are still thousands and thousands of people passing in and out of the country daily, so it's not THAT high of a chance.

As for transit across the states? Outside of some real backwater sundown towns in the deep south, there is a massive cognitive bias at work in the USA that works in two directions.

I can promise you that you can be brown, asian, hispanic, purple with polka-dots and could most likely bicycle across the entire country and you will be treated with kindness and respect and people will offer to take you into their homes across the country.

The weird disconnect that people are having a hard time digesting is that some of these same people will go online and scream about how immigrants are ruining our country and that we need to start a race war.

We don't live in a coherent reality in the USA anymore. The media world, including the internet and places like reddit and lemmy and facebook and twitter reflect a weird "mirror universe" where people are following an entirely different set of feelings.

We are in a new world of cognitive dissonance and I fully understand how off-putting that is and I recommend not visiting the country for that reason alone. Don't give this country tourism money as long as this administration remains in control.

If you got into the country, what's to stop ICE from picking you up and sending you to a prison in another country?

I doubt many people are sad that they had to cancel their trip to South Sudan lol

2025...

Depends how you define "tourist," I suppose.