Why does the USA get away with blackmailing the rest of the World?

Answer: lacklustre politicians that do not have the interests of their citizens at heart. They don't want to rock the boat or are at worst clueless, if not stupid. Stopping the US from applying their 'laws' ex-territorially would be easy - all one would have to do is hit the US hard where it hurts, its banks, Internet and media oligopolies. One would be surprised how fast this boycott spook would be over. A system of Direct Democracy would not allow the ruling political caste to get away so easily.