What makes America great?

[Staidhup]

What makes America Great? the freedom to choose, succeed, or fail, all on your own. It's the ability to voice your own opinion, lead your life as you so choose. The only problem is that there are those bent on limiting your freedoms to acquire power and control over how one exercises their freedom and liberty. The progressive European model looks great to some from the outside and for others a mess, nightmare, to those living within. The omnipotent state is the antithesis to freedom.

 

[9thIDdoc]

What makes America great?

Those who feel a need to ask the question will never understand the answer.

Some of us would like to hear other peoples opinions....except yours...dumbass.

And some of us don't care what you want.

Wow, ain't that a shock, coming from some liberal idiot.

Only a true idiot would think I'm a liberal.

 

[TrueTT]

A really powerful military and huge economy. That's pretty much the only thing great about it. In every other category, someone else is better. Often much better.

Those two things are the fountain for everything else, LOL!

Americans- as a people- inherit certain inalienable truths such as life, liberty, peace, prosperity, etc.*because* there is the most powerful and technologically advanced military force and job-creating engine paving the way.

Except America has never actually lived up to the dream, and probably never will.

It has when you compare across the board with/against other nations throughout the globe.....instead of comparing with some deluded realm of Utopia concocted within the margins of your cerebrum.

There are many European countries with much higher standards of living.

Countries with a fraction of the population (counting citizens alone) and traditionally not inundated with illegal aliens.

Countries which are currently being subsumed by Islam to a degree to which would be unimaginable in the United States.

 

[TrueTT]

In addition to the army and the economy, what makes America great is its steadfast continuance on being the bastion of the Christian faith among advanced and industrialized nations.

Also, the geographic variability in climate, vegetation, natural beauty and immense industrialization and urbanization, institutions of higher academia, being the entertainment and cultural apex of the world, etc.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Most of us have heard Gov. Cuomo's opinion on this, for those that haven't.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo - Bing video

We also know the Obama's were not thrilled with this country.
Michelle Obama Proud American Statement - Bing video

Regardless of what Cuomo and the Obama's have to say, America is a great country. Let's hear what you feel is great about America.

What's Great About America

America's Good Life - America provides an amazingly good life for the ordinary guy. Rich people live well everywhere, but what distinguishes America is that it provides a remarkably high standard of living for the "common man."

Equality - Critics of America allege that the history of the United States is defined by a series of crimes-slavery, genocide-visited upon African-Americans and American Indians. Even today, they say, America is a racist society. The critics demand apologies for these historical offenses and seek financial reparations for minorities and African-Americans. But the truth is that America has gone further than any society in establishing equality of rights.

The Pursuit of Happiness - America offers more opportunity and social mobility than any other country.

The Ethics of Work - Capitalism gives America a this-worldly focus in which death and the afterlife recede from everyday view.


Ideals and Interests - America has the kindest, gentlest foreign policy of any great power in world history.

America's Virtue - America, the freest nation on earth, is also the most virtuous nation on earth.

Let me start by saying that I have not read the whole thread yet, just wanted to give my take first.

America's Good Life - This I pretty much agree with, this is a good country to be poor in, that is for sure.

Equality - I think a great many countries do equality better than us, especially in the legal system.

The Pursuit of Happiness - We are actually not good in the area of social mobility...

The Ethics of Work - This is a two edged sword, we have a good work ethic, but we also have a terrible work/life balance. Too many people, in my opinion, see working 65 to 70 hours a week as some sort of badge of honor. Over half of American's do not take their paid vacation time, which to me is tragic.


Ideals and Interests - Another hot and cold issue. We do some amazing things for the world and our military does so much good for people. I was twice able to go on humanitarian missions while in the Corps and it is an amazing thing we do. But at the same time we invade sovereign nations no threat to us, we interfere with the rest of the world more than any other country, and it almost always comes back to bite us in the ass.

America's Virtue - Ehh, virtue is in the eye of the beholder.

I can say that I think we are the best nation on the planet, whether that makes us great or not is really irrelevant. But, had I been born in one of a half a dozen or more countries I cannot imagine leaving them to come here.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

A really powerful military and huge economy. That's pretty much the only thing great about it. In every other category, someone else is better. Often much better.

Those two things are the fountain for everything else, LOL!

Americans- as a people- inherit certain inalienable truths such as life, liberty, peace, prosperity, etc.*because* there is the most powerful and technologically advanced military force and job-creating engine paving the way.

Except America has never actually lived up to the dream, and probably never will.

It has when you compare across the board with/against other nations throughout the globe.....instead of comparing with some deluded realm of Utopia concocted within the margins of your cerebrum.

There are many European countries with much higher standards of living.

What do you mean by standards of living? There are a lot of different ones, and everybody's standard is different.