Prioritizing One's Nationality

I was originally going to post this as a comment on another blog, but I decided that it was not so much a critique as an explanation of my own views. Therefore, I feel this is a more appropriate place for it.

Many of us have brought up recently, especially in the wake of Newt Gingrich's speech, how we tend to consider ourselves "Americans" before all else. Here’s the one problem I’ve always had with the “American citizen over global citizen” position: Imagine, for a moment, that conditions in the United States suddenly deteriorated. Take, for example, today’s news about Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch. Suppose the financial infrastructure of the United States broke down, and our way of life suddenly became much harder. Think food shortages, unemployment, and high crime rates. How many of us would choose to stay in America, and how many would leave for a more viable economy? Though I’m sure the vast majority of the country would go down with the ship, either due to national pride or simply because they cannot leave, I wonder how many of those with the means to relocate would do so. I know this is an extreme example, but for one to declare him or herself first and foremost a citizen of America means, in my view, to throw all your money behind one horse. While being an American is very important to me, I would say that first and foremost, I am an agent of my own interests. If world events dictate that I leave America, I would do so, albeit reluctantly. In that sense, I must consider myself more of a global citizen, simply because I do not irrevocably tie myself to one country in particular.

I am aware that others might have different definitions for what "being American first" means, since mine is exceedingly Draconian. I'm curious as to what those might be.