Europeans don’t see what’s coming at them

Imagine the following scenario.

Texas votes to secede from the United States, sparking bitter tension between Austin and Washington. A neo-Nazi party wins seats in the California legislature.

Cook County, home to Chicago, threatens to break away from Illinois to form its own state. Worried about losing such an economically vibrant region, government officials try to prevent the election from taking place.

The federal government vows to suspend North Carolina’s voting rights in Congress simply because it didn’t approve of its behavior. It considers doing likewise for Arizona.

In such a scenario, you might conclude that something is terribly wrong with the United States.

The thing is, this is pretty much what is happening in Europe.