Just what is it with Republican writers who think their limited knowledge of American politics makes them qualified to cluelessly opine on... everything?

Everyone is Obama-crazy in Germany; every shopkeeper, beer-hoister, and pretzel-monger wanted to give a shout-out to the New Messiah.

Translation: Not only will I peddle dumb stereotypes after a country and its people apparently embraced me warmly, having government officials meet with me, but I will then explicitly mock the beliefs of their general populace. Nonetheless, if any foreigner says anything unfavorable about America, I will instantly whine endlessly about foolish anti-Americanism abroad.

Seems to me that when a rich country is worried about noise pollution, their major environmental problems are solved.

US population density: 31 people/km. German population density: 231 people/km. Given that Germany still has functioning heavy industries and manufacturing, often in densely-populated areas, something that the US has apparently given up on, it's both callous and a sign of sheer ignorance of the country you're talking about to dismiss noise pollution. Not to worry, though, this is roughly the level of intellectual rigor to be expected from someone who got both his graduate degrees from the Claremont Graduate School. Remember, this is the man who argued that SUVs aren't great polluters because, um.. because.