I also agree with MiamiB and left the U.S. for pretty much the exact same reasons and having lived in the Czech Republic for almost 4 years I can not say that I've been chastised more than once for being American, and that was by some drunk teenager at a club and all I had to do to shut him up was tell him it's not my fault and tell him that i agreed and that's why i left. Empire in decline is right, Xstr8guy...

...However, it's all just my opinion and my own assessment of the way things are and I don't expect everyone to agree with me, nor would I try to push my opinions on others or attack them for thinking differently... I know, for example, a lot of people who'd like to leave, but their ties to family, friends and community are far too strong for them to up and leave.