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What makes America great?

"It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried."
--Sir Winston Churchill

Obviously the freedoms we enjoy here in the United States have a lot to do with America's 'greatness' and our system of government, based on one of the most brilliant documents written by man, is the best in the world.

Free of hindrances by ruling powers and foreign adversaries, Americans have been able to do great things... safely land men on the moon, invent the Bic Mac, etc.
 
Our many freedoms - though we may have to fight eternally to keep them from being infringed upon. The most important of these being the 10 guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.

Our wild areas - we have some spectacular landscapes and wilderness equal to or surpassing those of any other nation on Earth.

Our people - Sure some of them are assholes and some are dumber than a brick, but largely people here are smart, kind, generous, and friendly, and always willing to lend a helping hand. Also we get along remarkably well, given the amount of cultural diversity we have. 200+ years and not a single ethnic cleansing yet.

The food. 'nuff said.

The fact that even without the aid of our military, our populace alone is well-armed enough to oppose almost any conventional threat, foreign or domestic, and that despite this imposing array of firepower we generally live peacefully and co-exist happily.

Our system of government - While flawed and often overly bureaucratic is still, as far as I'm concerned, the best ever implemented on any kind of large scale.

Best movies, TV, and video games on the planet, bar none.
 
Great Mambo Chicken said:
The US was greatest when it was expanding and its potential seemed boundless. Now that it's stopped, it's sadly becoming just as inward looking and moribund as everywhere else.
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Welcome to the club. We have welcome drinks. Laced with cyanide.

Plecostomus said:
The fact that I can shake Bill Clinton's hand and tell him that I didn't approve of NAFTA but it was still an honor to meet him. (Back when he was president.)

Can't do that in some of those other countries now can you? :)
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Actually, you can do that in most countries, and surely in every one in the first world. Not every country is North Korea or Rwanda, you know.

Mr. B said:
"It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried."
--Sir Winston Churchill
Click to expand...
Mmh, he was British, you know. :p

Obviously the freedoms we enjoy here in the United States have a lot to do with America's 'greatness' and our system of government, based on one of the most brilliant documents written by man, is the best in the world.

Free of hindrances by ruling powers and foreign adversaries, Americans have been able to do great things... safely land men on the moon, invent the Bic Mac, etc.
Click to expand...
So... when you talk about freedom and democracy, you really mean geographical isolation. I get it now. ;)

captcalhoun said:
sorry, America's not great. only Britain is Great. it's in the name.
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Surely just across the British Channel you've got Great France and Great Germany?
 
I have always admired the american "Get your lazy ass in motion and work hard so eventually you will be successfull" credo when i was younger.

It seemed that Americans could achieve anything and be the masters of their own life.. you are a lazy bum you won't get anywhere in life but work hard and be responsible and you'll get by well (and if you have that one in a million idea you can get rich with a bit of luck).

However the US seems to come apart at the seams.. internal spilt between Democrats and Republicans who'll often just rather insult each other that getting things done, rampant greed which has caused the financial world crisis and rampant private spending has severely weakened the United States and it is doubtful they'll get back to their greatness of the past decades.
 
FPAlpha said:
I have always admired the american "Get your lazy ass in motion and work hard so eventually you will be successfull" credo when i was younger.

It seemed that Americans could achieve anything and be the masters of their own life.. you are a lazy bum you won't get anywhere in life but work hard and be responsible and you'll get by well (and if you have that one in a million idea you can get rich with a bit of luck).

However the US seems to come apart at the seams.. internal spilt between Democrats and Republicans who'll often just rather insult each other that getting things done, rampant greed which has caused the financial world crisis and rampant private spending has severely weakened the United States and it is doubtful they'll get back to their greatness of the past decades.
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Just wait til we start building the colony ships. ;)
 
^^^ He got an honorarily (note the American spelling;)) citizenship after WWII if I'm not mistaken.

What makes America great? The Simpsons of course!
 
What makes America great is that it is not just a piece of real estate or a group of people with common ancestors, but was founded on the great liberal, Humanistic principles of freedom and self-determination. America is great because we constantly strive to achieve our mission statement of forming the perfect civilization. America is great because we allow full latitude to those who would use our freedoms to undermine our freedoms, and we fight them fairly and we win. America is great because we know that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. America is great because our countless individuals and sub-cultures combine into an amazing melting pot of creative life. America is great because the person who takes the oath of citizenship today is just as much an American as the person whose ancestors fought in the Revolution. America is great because Americans know that we're not yet great enough and that the Revolution is still ongoing. :cool:
 
We invented Star Trek.

There, that should do it.

(Just try to forget about VOY, mkay? :p)

However the US seems to come apart at the seams.. internal spilt between Democrats and Republicans who'll often just rather insult each other that getting things done, rampant greed which has caused the financial world crisis and rampant private spending has severely weakened the United States and it is doubtful they'll get back to their greatness of the past decades.
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You could time travel to any point in America's history and find some reason the country is "coming apart at the seams." And in some cases, it really was. Take the 1860s for instance. Anyone who thinks what's happening today is anything particularly worrysome doesn't know much about American history. This country has survived shit that would kill a goat and rebounded stronger than ever.

American power will persist for as long as everyone reading this is alive. The secret of our success? Cultural & demographic flexibility, vast resources, fertile farmland, scientific/technologal innovation, strong higher education, and a cruel, winner-takes-all economic philosophy that may leave casualties in its wake but keeps America in the forefront of many profit-generating industries. The way to generate power and wealth is to concentrate on creating Oprahs and Bill Gates even if it also means homeless people living under bridges. The world is a nasty place and niceness is not usually rewarded.
 
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