Greetings from across the pond! Sorry for that silly old cliche of a salutation, but that's the best this American can offer right now because we're in the midst of a simply depressing presidential election. Almost every thinking person I know is positively dismayed at the two terrible choices we're faced with in this contest. On the one hand we have an egomaniac blowhard who mixes populist slogans with divisive language and precious little policy substance. On the other hand, we have a career politician with an utter disregard for the truth and the people, who's used her political position to enrich herself to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, and is now under FBI investigation to determine which crimes she might be charged with while she happened to put our national security at risk so she could protect her political standing all while continuing to enrich herself.
Check please!
Oh, and we have almost five more months of this already shrill campaign to go before we get handed the equally depressing prospect of being reduced to praying the winner somehow cleans up his or her act and carries on like a responsible leader.
I'm sorry, I don't mean to depress you too. Actually, I'm here to cheer all the voters in the U.K. on as you're now just one week away from that historic vote to remain or leave the European Union. And I have to say, compared to the nightmare we're facing in our election, the "Brexit" debate and vote seems like an absolute dream. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not here to tell you how to vote or what to do. That's not my place as a foreigner. Of course, I realize our President Obama did that not long ago when he visited your great country and took that opportunity to threaten and scold any of you who were even thinking of voting to leave the E.U. Sorry about that, but we're used to him doing that here all the time. I promise, he wasn't singling just you out for that kind of rude treatment. He scolds and demonizes us Americans whenever he speaks here, even when some of us have just been murdered by terrorists. You see, this president's core constituency, which includes most of the news media of course, loves to feel superior to other Americans. So his "scold and shame" act goes over pretty well here for just enough of the people that he doesn't have to bother to try to unite the country, not when all the papers and most news websites will cheer his divisive superiority with 100% certainty anyway. Of course I was relieved to see his browbeating routine backfired over there, as the polls say the more Barack Obama talked about remaining in the E.U., the more of you wanted to leave, so kudos for that and I mean that sincerely.
Read MoreHistory says 'Brexit' makes sense
But my real goal is to warmly express my jealously at the opportunity you all have in just one week's time. Again, I realize it's not for me to tell or advise you what to do with your vote. But considering the awful choice we Americans are looking at in our election, I can't tell you how much I envy the chance to vote in a referendum like yours where the people actually have the chance not to decide between two horrific evils, but to vote in favor of absolute ideals like democracy, accountability, sovereignty, and liberty. Now that I've said that, you can guess I am rooting for the "Leave" campaign to win. I, and lots of other Americans like me, are sick of the too many unaccountable government bodies, crony capitalist arrangements, and elitist know-it-alls we have here too. It's not quite the same as your mostly anonymous and bullying organization in Brussels, but you get the idea.
Here in America, we've become plagued by a political, cultural, and educational ethos that's decided that some imagined ideal of equality is the only societal goal worth attaining. I know it's plaguing you in Britain as well. We're both on to our second generation now that's been told by teachers, politicians, and most of the media that racial, gender, and now economic equality are more important than everything else. But the demonstrable fact that there can be no such equality without liberty, democracy, and political accountability first has been lost. If you don't think this is true, ask yourself: when was the last time you heard someone under the age of 30 here or in Britain talking passionately about or protesting for more political freedom as opposed to railing about economic equality, or racism, or gender bias? See what I mean?
Not to offend you over in Britain, but my 13-year-old daughter just completed her school year studying our Revolutionary War against the British. And all I could think of during this wonderful year of study was: is this the last time she'll learn in school about the importance of democratic representation for all? Is this the last time she'll learn in school about individual economic and political liberty not put primarily in racial, ethnic, and gender terms? Will the curriculum be changed by the time my 8-year-old daughter reaches this class so that the fight for representation and political accountability during the Revolutionary period becomes buried in self-flagellating rhetoric about how it's "much more important" to note that some of our Founding Fathers owned slaves and no women signed the Declaration of Independence?
Read MoreA speech to my Millennial daughter
So yes, I am rooting for you to vote "Leave." Because not only should it advance the more crucial discussion of how to better govern ourselves first and try to achieve better equality second, but it just might also teach my daughters that elections should be primarily about important issues and not about comparing the messaging abilities of criminals or borderline criminals running for office. And a vote for "Leave" would also teach my daughters and all Americans the lesson that yes, a democratic society can reverse the status quo as long as it doesn't give away it's right to really vote in the first place like the "Remain" forces basically want you to do.
So good for you Britain for having this chance. A lot of Americans are looking to you right now not only for a needed distraction, but for some inspiration as well.
