politics: I can just smell the cons going apoplectic over this

The man in the UN the cons love to hate, the man they accuse endlessly and breathlessly of being a corrupt, evil America-hater, has a new plan for the United Nations.

This is the grand international body that, on the one hand, they ridicule as impotent and ineffectual, while on the other hand they oppose any expansion of its reach or powers that would actually render it more potent and effectual.

So now he unveils a plan to make the organization more effective, more accountable and more powerful.

The prevailing attitude in America with regard to the rest of the world reminds me of the neighbor kid when I was little. He was an only child with few or no friends, not much for socializing and used to getting exclusively his own way. Early on, I used to go over and play at his house (it always had to be at his house; once or twice, only, did he come over to our side of the fence). What were we going to play? It always came down to him. What were the rules? Up to him, as were any changes midway through to tip the course of things in his favor. If he cheated, it was OK, especially if he did it cleverly and got away with it so he could gloat later. But if I cheated, he'd fly into a raging tantrum and kick me out.

In short, he did not play well with others. Before long, I stopped going over there anything but rarely. He got better later on, as he matured, and as he realized he had few friends.

I think the metaphor stands up pretty well.

Go, Kofi!