What are you talking about, what value did Merkel extract for example?
I think Europe has done more good for the world than bad in the last few decades. On the other hand we're still feeling the effects of US involvement in the middle east.
As for politicians in the states having influence... congress is supposed to make the laws that the president executes. The joke is that the US is now operating in complete opposition of that. The president rules by decree, congress members have no real influence and would get decimated in a re-election campaign if they act out of favor of the president. I'd say politicans in the US have less influence do effect change, not more. In fact non-politicians like Musk/Thiel have more influence than politicians, that's more the case than it has been in many decades.
I think Europe has done more good for the world than bad in the last few decades. On the other hand we're still feeling the effects of US involvement in the middle east.
As for politicians in the states having influence... congress is supposed to make the laws that the president executes. The joke is that the US is now operating in complete opposition of that. The president rules by decree, congress members have no real influence and would get decimated in a re-election campaign if they act out of favor of the president. I'd say politicans in the US have less influence do effect change, not more. In fact non-politicians like Musk/Thiel have more influence than politicians, that's more the case than it has been in many decades.