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Is America the greatest nation on earth?

Is America the greatest country on earth?

  • Yes

    Votes: 45 45.9%
  • No

    Votes: 53 54.1%

  • Total voters
    98
That, is an opinion. Reserved by the example of tiny lucky states to compare against. It isn't real.

Well then if we go by your measure then the Chinese are or soon will be the best country in the world. China can have the largest economy and military but it will still be a ****hole because they have none of those qualities listed by Amadeus.
 
Oh no ... oohh ooh ooh ee eee aaa aa, their degree of production is greater than their calorie intake in trade. Boop Boop.

And then there's the literacy rate...
 
So anyhow, orion launched today ...
but yes, I'm talking about power.


There are papers on the basic conception of power by economic and realist perspectives you could navigate, I'm sure.

What's that, a random string of words that sound important to you?
 
Interesting to hear a progressive say that, as the nation has undoubtedly become more progressive in the past 50 years.

no, it hasn't..... the Great Society was the apex of the progressive movement. It has tacked to the right since. Other than the PPACA, which the core of which was originally designed as the conservative alternative to single payer health care, we have not had a major piece of progressive legislation passed in the past 35 years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/b...iberal-days-of-nixon.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/0731/America-s-big-shift-right
http://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/issues/95dec/conbook/fergrt.html
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/0731/America-s-big-shift-right

OK... you have my support for my position. Let's see you support your position that America has become more progressive over the past 50 years. Doubling down on your impressions does not count. Good luck!
 
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Having travelled and lived in other nations it is a gut feeling... there really is no way to measure such a question. I say New Zealand is the greatest.

I've heard only good things from people who visit New Zealand and people who live in New Zealand who visit the USA speak highly of their country.
 
no, it hasn't..... the Great Society was the apex of the progressive movement. It has tacked to the right since. Other than the PPACA, which the core of which was originally designed as the conservative alternative to single payer health care, we have not had a major piece of progressive legislation passed in the past 35 years.

The federal income tax code has become more progressive as has the tendency to borrow and spend. Federal spending per capita is definitely more progressive.

Terrifying: Increases in Real Per Capita Federal Spending Over The Past 35 Years - Hit & Run : Reason.com
 
I've heard only good things from people who visit New Zealand and people who live in New Zealand who visit the USA speak highly of their country.

It is really great. I am not a disenfranchised American, or anything. We moved here for an adventure, not to get away from the USA. This place is just awesome.

Sometimes it sucks being so far away from family but then I think about how my kids are being raised in this environment and it doesn't bother me as much...
 
The federal income tax code has become more progressive as has the tendency to borrow and spend. Federal spending per capita is definitely more progressive.

Terrifying: Increases in Real Per Capita Federal Spending Over The Past 35 Years - Hit & Run : Reason.com

Thanks, but the a big part of the spending relates to programs enacted prior to 1980, compounded by wars financed with tax cuts since 2000. So, its all nice information, but does in no way refute may claim that we haven't enacted major progressive legislation (see note on PPACA in previous post) since 1980... and our continued use of tax cuts as a way to..... what ever the reason for the tax cuts, are a testament to a shift right.

The tax code was re-written in 1986, introducing a much flatter (and therefore less progressive) tax system.
 
My thoughts: Yes, this is the greatest nation on earth. Below are some of the reasons....

- We're the richest. We have more money than any other nation on earth and it ain't close.

U are not the richest - Norway is the richest
I dont want to even start about your nation debts

- We're the smartest. We have something like over half of the world's Nobel Prize winners. Our universities are the top ranked in the world.

This one is true but one of the reasons is huge population

- We're the most industrial. Modern industry as you know it was invented and perfected in the US of A.

How can you say this?You are the biggest Chinese importers as they dictate todays world economy.

- We kick ass. Most powerful military in the history of human civilization relative to our contemporaries

You are not strongest but one of the strongest,there is Russia,Germany,France,China...
I can say this only for your Navy

- We're not sissies - looking at you, France
- We innovate. We invented pretty much everything in existence in the modern world, and that trend is continuing.

This is true,but Japan and Chinese did alot too.

- We sent a man to the moon for christ's sake. That was 50 years ago. No other nation has yet to be able to do it, even today.

First on the moon,but not into space,1957. Russia sent dog called Laika,four years later Jurij Gagarin.After that America 1969. Neil A.

- We don't have stupid royalty or aristocracies. America is the only country on earth where going rags to riches is truly seen as possible.

This is because you are one of the youngest nations.
Multiculturalism is other reason.
But you have the worst global politics,as you attacking and many times starting wars in countries you dont have anything with.


- We dominate the global political scene.

Depends where..in Europe is Germany in Asia is Russia and China
Just because you ran into wars dont make you dominant in other ways.

- Other nations need us more than we need them.
You need China more than China needs you.

- We utterly dominate popular culture and the arts - Hollywood baby. ALL the movies that seen by a broad audience are American. We invented rock and roll, the blues, rap, hip hop, and all the modern media. We invented television, and pretty much everything that goes on it.

This one is true.


I could go on, but that's a start.

And soooo on...:)

Your nation is one of the strongest I can agree,but not the strongest...I guess you are born in USA and you have to feel like that,its right but you must be better informed,compare some things,look from the other perspectives when you want to prove someone in something expecially when you talk abou whole nation.

Cheers ! :)
 
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The federal income tax code has become more progressive


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There's others that are equally good politically and culturally, but we have access to greatest variety of climates among our peers.
 
Arguably, having the most nukes and other weapons means we're the strongest, so we're the most powerful. Hower, that much power can make you vulnerable also.
 
The premise presented as an axiom in the OP is not nearly as interesting or informative as the various responses it elicited. It is perhaps evident that all comparisons contain an element of odium, and I have no intention of debating the various claims of superiority made, but immodest claims of superiority invariably attract challenge, and I am surprised that those inclined to make such pronouncements internationally do not realise what little of value is gained thereby.

Irrespective of the validity or otherwise of these claims, what I find of great credit to the average US citizen, is the number of Americans on this, and similar, threads who are aware that self-praise is no recommendation, and mount those challenges. The posts questioning those assertions far outnumber those which hop onto the nationalistic bandwagon. I rest my case that it is the American people who are the major element of greatness in that society. :)
 
What evidence do you have the the countries listed higher than us fail to report all of the deaths?

This factor is overstated. A better qualified source on this issue.

Differences in how live births are recorded may affect international IMR comparisons; however,
it is unlikely that these recording differences would entirely explain the high U.S. IMR or the
variation between the U.S. IMR and those of some European countries. This is because of both
the widespread use of the WHO definition of live births and the small number of births that fall
outside the WHO definition.25 Researchers at NCHS conclude that for recording differences to
completely explain the high U.S. IMR, European countries would have to misreport one-third of
their infant deaths, which these researchers conclude is unlikely.

After adjusting for recording differences, NCHS researchers found that the U.S. IMR was still
higher than those in most European countries. Specifically, these researchers excluded deaths that
occurred prior to 22 weeks of gestation. They found that excluding these very short gestational
age births lowered the U.S. IMR to 5.8 (in 2004), but also lowered the IMR of European
countries; therefore, it changed the U.S. ranking compared to European countries by only a small
amount.26 Given this finding, the NCHS researchers conclude that recording differences can
explain only a small percentage of international IMR variation and do not entirely explain why
the U.S. IMR is higher than the rates of a number of European countries.

http://chrisherwig.org/data-src/pdf...rs-and-federal-programs-full-text-reports.pdf
 
Thanks, but the a big part of the spending relates to programs enacted prior to 1980, compounded by wars financed with tax cuts since 2000. So, its all nice information, but does in no way refute may claim that we haven't enacted major progressive legislation (see note on PPACA in previous post) since 1980... and our continued use of tax cuts as a way to..... what ever the reason for the tax cuts, are a testament to a shift right.

The tax code was re-written in 1986, introducing a much flatter (and therefore less progressive) tax system.

A nearly 50% increase in per capita, inflation adjusted, federal spending in just 35 years is not a small change and certainly not conservative.
 
Not a chance.

Gitmo, drone strikes, double-tap drone strikes, rendition, torture, propping up terrible regimes (like Saudi Arabia), overthrowing others (whether they are legal or not), an economy so pathetic that it needs gigantic government/central bank stimuli just to keep it above water, a national debt that has grown about 70% in 6-7 years, phone tapping almost everyone (even her own citizens) and on and on.

Before 9/11, I thought America was a great country.

Within 2 or 3 years after 9/11, I thought it was one of the worst.

A beacon of freedom and morality? Try a beacon of cowardice and incompetence.
 
Some do, but many, if not most, come here to just to escape truly desperate circumstances in their home country and end up living in just a better state of poverty than that which they would be faced with back home.

It's definitely better for them here than in their country of origin, but it's also not something "beyond their wildest dreams". It's actually a fairly modest, reasonable dream in most cases.

And the fact of the matter is that, while we as a nation can provide a better home for many immigrants, we can still do better than we have as well.

Well, yes, of course. The fact of the matter is that they do come here because they can work to fulfill their dreams and realize the opportunity the United States represents to them.

However, let me be clear, my words applied to those who have come here legally. I couldn't care less about those who come here illegally. I would wish we would make their decision to come that way a horror for them. We owe them ZERO, since illegal entry means they don't see the United States as a great nation, but a nation of fools they can exploit. For them, we've done far more than the law allows, and that should stop immediately.
 
People do not risk being shot because they think "they're a bunch of fools I can exploit".

Of course they do. When they decide to come here illegally, they have decided they don't give a damn about this country, what it stands for, or even the people here. They merely see a place where they can exploit their neighbors and co-workers, and fail in greater comfort than the failure they have contributed to in their own country. Further, they don't care what kind of hell they are putting their families in when they chose to be thieves, rather than legal immigrants who can realize their dreams.

These facts are irrefutable.
 
Of course they do. When they decide to come here illegally, they have decided they don't give a damn about this country, what it stands for, or even the people here. They merely see a place where they can exploit their neighbors and co-workers, and fail in greater comfort than the failure they have contributed to in their own country. Further, they don't care what kind of hell they are putting their families in when they chose to be thieves, rather than legal immigrants who can realize their dreams.



These facts are irrefutable.

You are making all of that up and pretending it is true. That does not make something an "irrefutable fact", it makes it made up bull****.
 
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