You don't need to fear Obama. He won't tax you to death. Don't forget, the President doesn't levy taxes anyway.
And if the rest of the world despises us, then life will become harder.
That's one good reason to care what they think.
If we're going to hold ourselves up as a shining example to the rest of the world, then we ought to try to be genuine about it.
If we don't, then we'll just be acting. Like the old Soviet Union used to do.