Make America Better by Leaving - A Potent Image

My family and I visited the Statue of Liberty in the fall of 2011. The presidential race was in full swing, and of course we now know that Mitt Romney would ultimately win the Republican nomination but lose to Barack Obama in the general election. As I toured the museum in the base of the statue, I was struck by the following display (click to enlarge):

Given the prominence of immigration in political debate at the time, I immediately thought it came from an earlier era of anti-immigrant sentiment and was displayed because of its renewed relevance. However, as I looked closer I saw that it was an advertisement for the Peace Corps. The ad suggested that the things people would learn and perspective they would gain while serving abroad in the Peace Corp would make them better people, and therefore make America better. Amused by the potency of the image and my misunderstanding of it, I took a picture.

I had no idea that in five years this image could serve as a blunt political cartoon capturing with uncanny accuracy the campaign slogan and policy proposals of the next presidential nominee of the Republican party.

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