Is America the greatest country in the world?

[Foxfyre]

America is still the biggest ass kicker on the planet however...

Our vote in November, `12, will determine whether we stay that way.

I hope you are wrong about that g/f, and fear that you are not.

Certainly President Obama has been destructive to the American culture and has greatly escalated the headlong rush to finish dismantling the concepts the Founders gave us and shift ever more power to the central government until it has it all.

That can go one of two ways. His worshippers will continue to have their heads stuck in the sand and refuse to oppose that. (Of course some are probably fully aware of what he is doing and are cheering him on.) And those of us who hate what is happening will either sit on our hands and allow it to happen or will choose to get serious about fighting back. Right now I think apathy is our worst enemy.

At this point, I honestly don't know which way it is going to go.

 

[Artevelde]

America is still the biggest ass kicker on the planet however...

Our vote in November, `12, will determine whether we stay that way.

I understand your point, but still disagree. The United States was well-constructed and is stronger than one man's ability to bring it down. It has survived bad and very bad President in the past. That doesn't mean the election of the chief executive isn't important in this respect. But it is only one piece in a vast system.

 

[Foxfyre]

America is still the biggest ass kicker on the planet however...

Our vote in November, `12, will determine whether we stay that way.

I understand your point, but still disagree. The United States was well-constructed and is stronger than one man's ability to bring it down. It has survived bad and very bad President in the past. That doesn't mean the election of the chief executive isn't important in this respect. But it is only one piece in a vast system.

There was a time not that long ago that I would have emphatically agreed with you on this Arteveld. But that was when I knew we were many people, many differences of opinion, many schools of thought, but basically one culture, one America.

Now as an American who sees so many things seeming to be coming apart at the seams, my faith has been shaken. I am NOT saying Obama (or anybody else) is another Hitler, but as a student of history I can see how the people can become so ignorant, so clueless, so apathetic, or pin their hopes on some elusive promise or vision that they hand over their destiniy to somebody who is not at all what he pretends to be. I am watching high level officials who know that lying to and manipulation of the people is effective and who do so regularly with no apparent misgivings or conscience. If we had a well educated and cohesive electorate, we could and would deal with it. But I fear we are too partisan, too fractured, too dismembered as a culture.

I hope I'm wrong too. And fear that I am not.

 

[Artevelde]

Our vote in November, `12, will determine whether we stay that way.

I understand your point, but still disagree. The United States was well-constructed and is stronger than one man's ability to bring it down. It has survived bad and very bad President in the past. That doesn't mean the election of the chief executive isn't important in this respect. But it is only one piece in a vast system.

There was a time not that long ago that I would have emphatically agreed with you on this Arteveld. But that was when I knew we were many people, many differences of opinion, many schools of thought, but basically one culture, one America.

Now as an American who sees so many things seeming to be coming apart at the seams, my faith has been shaken. I am NOT saying Obama (or anybody else) is another Hitler, but as a student of history I can see how the people can become so ignorant, so clueless, so apathetic, or pin their hopes on some elusive promise or vision that they hand over their destiniy to somebody who is not at all what he pretends to be. I am watching high level officials who know that lying to and manipulation of the people is effective and who do so regularly with no apparent misgivings or conscience. If we had a well educated and cohesive electorate, we could and would deal with it. But I fear we are too partisan, too fractured, too dismembered as a culture.

I hope I'm wrong too. And fear that I am not.

Take heart FoxFyre. There are still many traditional and sincere Americans around, like yourself. We've seen the decline of the US predicted so many times, but the inner strength has always come true.

 

[Foxfyre]

I understand your point, but still disagree. The United States was well-constructed and is stronger than one man's ability to bring it down. It has survived bad and very bad President in the past. That doesn't mean the election of the chief executive isn't important in this respect. But it is only one piece in a vast system.

There was a time not that long ago that I would have emphatically agreed with you on this Arteveld. But that was when I knew we were many people, many differences of opinion, many schools of thought, but basically one culture, one America.

Now as an American who sees so many things seeming to be coming apart at the seams, my faith has been shaken. I am NOT saying Obama (or anybody else) is another Hitler, but as a student of history I can see how the people can become so ignorant, so clueless, so apathetic, or pin their hopes on some elusive promise or vision that they hand over their destiniy to somebody who is not at all what he pretends to be. I am watching high level officials who know that lying to and manipulation of the people is effective and who do so regularly with no apparent misgivings or conscience. If we had a well educated and cohesive electorate, we could and would deal with it. But I fear we are too partisan, too fractured, too dismembered as a culture.

I hope I'm wrong too. And fear that I am not.

Take heart FoxFyre. There are still many traditional and sincere Americans around, like yourself. We've seen the decline of the US predicted so many times, but the inner strength has always come true.

Well you warm my heart my friend and I so hope you're right.

 

[Unkotare]

To answer your questions: the passport i Have is Belgian. I do not consider myself Belgian however, very few people here do. I am a Fleming, that is the nation to which I belong.

Oh, is that an independent nation?




And you still haven't told me of your expertise.

...still waiting...

 

[Unkotare]

And being proficient in the primary language in which business and commerce is conducted is quite important in being self sufficient, supporting a ffamily, and avoiding poverty.]

Has anyone suggested otherwise?

Well? Has anyone?

 

[Unkotare]

Remnants of those important pieces of culture are still strong in both places, but both are 100% American. You see the same phenomenon in the German, Swedish, Bosnian, Irish et al communities of North Central Kansas. Strong remnants of those imported cultures are evident but the people are 100% American.

The same process that new immigrants are going through today. Your pessimism has less to do with the country (and just about nothing to do with legal immigrants) than it does with your own warped point of view. Don't let yourself become one of those angry, fearful old bitties sitting in her rocking chair moaning about the end of the world.

 

[Foxfyre]

Again, while you are not being disagreeable, the Q & A has run its course Unkotare and is tiresome and unproductive to the discussion. I think many of us would be happy to engage you in a discussion of the topic, but that requires more than unexplained criticism of other people's opinions or loaded questions for which it is obvious that you aren't interested in the answers.

 

[Foxfyre]

Remnants of those important pieces of culture are still strong in both places, but both are 100% American. You see the same phenomenon in the German, Swedish, Bosnian, Irish et al communities of North Central Kansas. Strong remnants of those imported cultures are evident but the people are 100% American.

The same process that new immigrants are going through today. Your pessimism has less to do with the country (and just about nothing to do with legal immigrants) than it does with your own warped point of view. Don't let yourself become one of those angry, fearful old bitties sitting in her rocking chair moaning about the end of the world.

Well I have done my best to explain why I hold the what I consider to be informed opinions that I do, and you blew off and dismissed those explanations and now assign them to a warped point of view. I accept that as your opinion and that you can't back it up with anything credible and we'll let it go at that.

 

[Unkotare]

Again, while you are not being disagreeable, the Q & A has run its course Unkotare and is tiresome and unproductive to the discussion. I think many of us would be happy to engage you in a discussion of the topic, but that requires more than unexplained criticism of other people's opinions or loaded questions for which it is obvious that you aren't interested in the answers.

I don't ask questions to which I am not interested in the answers. If you need any criticism explained just say so and I'll explain it for you.

 

[Unkotare]

Remnants of those important pieces of culture are still strong in both places, but both are 100% American. You see the same phenomenon in the German, Swedish, Bosnian, Irish et al communities of North Central Kansas. Strong remnants of those imported cultures are evident but the people are 100% American.

The same process that new immigrants are going through today. Your pessimism has less to do with the country (and just about nothing to do with legal immigrants) than it does with your own warped point of view. Don't let yourself become one of those angry, fearful old bitties sitting in her rocking chair moaning about the end of the world.

Well I have done my best to explain why I hold the what I consider to be informed opinions that I do, and you blew off and dismissed those explanations and now assign them to a warped point of view. I accept that as your opinion and that you can't back it up with anything credible and we'll let it go at that.

You have "informed" nothing by repeating your subjective impressions, which do not accord with reality.

 

[Unkotare]

...and America remains the greatest country in the world.

 

[8236]

According to the UN Belarus, Hungary, Lithuania and the Ukraine have a better quality of life than the US....

Citation needed.

 

[bigrebnc1775]

According to the UN Belarus, Hungary, Lithuania and the Ukraine have a better quality of life than the US....

Citation needed.

It's probably true the UN doesn't like the U.S.

 

[The Professor]

America is still the biggest ass kicker on the planet however...

That enriches my life in so many ways.

 

[Noomi]

...and America remains the greatest country in the world.

It cannot possibly be consider the greatest country in the world when you fell head first into a recession. Meanwhile, Australia, a country smaller than the US and with a much smaller economy, chugged along nicely.

 

[regent]

What's the criteria for the greatest country in the world? Can a small country that doesn't make a lot of wars qualify? Is it the happiness of its citizens? Is it the biggest and meanest, is it the country with the richest elite, or do we just pick our own country as we are supposed to do?

 

[Unkotare]

...and America remains the greatest country in the world.

It cannot possibly be consider the greatest country in the world when you fell head first into a recession. Meanwhile, Australia, a country smaller than the US and with a much smaller economy, chugged along nicely.

Don't be ridiculous. You and your fellow Australians would be on your hands and knees working in the dirt and speaking Chinese if the US did not exist. A flea riding on the shoulder of a giant is not in fact as tall as the giant, 'mate' (even when the giant catches a cold).

 

[CrusaderFrank]

...and America remains the greatest country in the world.

It cannot possibly be consider the greatest country in the world when you fell head first into a recession. Meanwhile, Australia, a country smaller than the US and with a much smaller economy, chugged along nicely.

maybe we can export Obama and our Progressives to Australia when he loses in November?