is America No. 1? (page 2)

Englishman

That article was almost pure Watchtower in it's negative judgementalism.

Englishman.

mkr32208

82.5% of statistics are made up... who cares!

Whiskeyjack

The U.S. does seem to be declining in many critical areas while Europe has been forced to start addressing them (advanced education, environmental policy, power generation, urban policy, etc...).

The unprecedented growthof the American republic is very unique and largely due to the one-time opportunity for unbridled continental rapine. Expansive economics certainly "worked" (if you forget about the aboriginals and other players forced out over the last 500 years) giving rise to the current level of national faith in "free" capitalism. It's evident (to me) that this "free for all" period is over, the resources are getting scarcer, arable land is shrinking and industrial farming techiques are exibihiting huge hidden costs, the manufacturing base is shrinking, etc...). American workers are now being squeezed as a result (hey, profits gotta come from somewhere!)

At the turn of the previous century, most Britons didn't want to hear those economists and observers who were trying to warn them of Britain's economic decline. China is benefitting from a long-term plan of strategic economic development by dangling market access and will surpass the U.S. economy this century. How they do "societally" remains to be seen (development of intellectual and creative communities, etc...).

This is just the natural state of things though. All societies decline.

W.

Undecided

All world powers last a few hundred years and then fade, I think China will be the next one to gain control of the economical world. Almost everything you can buy is made in China, here in the USA right now. I'm too old to worry about it now and it's beyond my control.

Ken P.

adelmaal

Damn illegal immigrants are bringing down our numbers

Who cares whose number 1? Can't we all just get along...

adelmaal

Bush has divided our country into the so-called Red and Blue States

LOL - you're pinning the division between Republican and Democrat on Bush? Now that's a stretch considering how long ago those lines were drawn... Personally, I feel our differences are what brings us together, keeps us in check and balances us out as a nation. I can't imagine what things would be like if everyone in the USA was on the Red side or the Blue side. Drama!!!

adelmaal

Almost everything you can buy is made in China, here in the USA right now

I'm with you on that one! We certainly have not cornered the market on the balance between import and export... We buy an awful lot more than we sell in this country. When it comes to globalization we seem to be overly dependant on the rest of the world.

As for the comment regarding our schools. Yes, I can see in my children's schools that the test scores have slipped. But in our area it is predominately because a good percentage of the students are English learners. They have come over from Mexico. The whole "no child left behind" concept is slowing down the children who have been born and raised here. We really need to close our borders or come up with some programs to integrate people into society more effectively.

lazyslob

Why compare one country against a whole continent?

darkuncle29

Truthful words are not beautiful.
Beautiful words are not truthful.

I think that the reality lies more in the middle. The long term trends and tendancies have harmed the viability of "America" being the place to be. Part of that dynamic is that most/many Americans can't honestly and openly look at their beliefs about their own govt/society/"way of life". Most of us are patriotic little consumers--either of "goods and services" or even of "Truth"/belief.

Change is innevitable. Empires crumble; Or adapt. The trick is to be aware of the change, even slow change, and then ride the wave.

DanTheMan

Some of the things that have bothered me about taking Community College courses in America are:

1. How easy they are

2. How dumb many of my fellow students are

3. How said fellow students continually pressure teacher to make the class easier, give them the answers, etc

I think Americans lack respect for a challenging and rigorous education, part of the "entitlement" mentality I guess.

is America No. 1?

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