> that's a real sign of just how far American greed has gone.
I find that a hard statement to square with the founding principles of American culture. The USA was a country that declared independence and fought a war over taxation. The colonies as a whole were a magnet for opportunistic pioneers -- in fact, for much of history, "opportunistic pioneer" (for better or worse) was and is what people think of when they think of American.
So while you're correct that it is a certain kind of greed and self-interest, where I can't understand what you're trying to say is "how far X has gone." What does how far mean? The greed has been at this level since nation's conception. And ostensibly, it was the whole /point/ of the nation.
I find that a hard statement to square with the founding principles of American culture. The USA was a country that declared independence and fought a war over taxation. The colonies as a whole were a magnet for opportunistic pioneers -- in fact, for much of history, "opportunistic pioneer" (for better or worse) was and is what people think of when they think of American.
So while you're correct that it is a certain kind of greed and self-interest, where I can't understand what you're trying to say is "how far X has gone." What does how far mean? The greed has been at this level since nation's conception. And ostensibly, it was the whole /point/ of the nation.