How great is the US of A

[Non sequitur]

How great is the US of A ??

An international view - from the outside looking in......

Used to be considered great. Observations lately are not so good and getting worse.

On the evidence of the past few years, the downhill trend is accelerating and recent events have only increased the pace.

If a person has his / her eyes open, it looks like that from the inside looking out too.

Who cares? This sort of thing always puts me off. I just don't understand the need to onstantly stroke one's country as the greatest whatever. There are lots of good things about most countries. And there are lots of bad things about most countries.

It's just like games.  My football team is better than yours because it's mine.

Again, just my opinion.

Non

 

[Maximillion]

Carlos Delgado objected to the Iraqui Invasion, the open hatred on the faces of some fans was scary, this would not have happened in other countries.

No other country that I have visited displays its flags so prominently, invokes patriotic messages so frequently in their daily routines, nor displays frequent testaments on Public Billboards to their patriotism.

Patriotic Fervor is whipped up at every opportunity, propaganda is constantly unleashed on the populace to tell them how great they are.

Great Britain was very similar under Victoria, Wars were frequent, contempt for Foreigners were understandeable, you were less than perfect if you weren't British.

Students of History must surely see that the Boer War and the Iraqui Invasion are almost identical in stageing and in outcome, one was to steal Gold, the other to steal Oil.

I will be in the US for a month, I just try to ignore, act as a guest(which I am), enjoy the sun, try not to get shot(it is Florida after all), then return to spring and to my garden and to all the birds.

At the end of the day, it ain't bad having Americans for neighbours.

 

[Cool Dood]

Hey, wasn't Vietnam supposed to be the one-size-fits-all prototype for loser America-haters to compare Iraq to? And if Iraq is a war for oil, then I guess WWII was a war for.... sauerkraut? frankfurters? ............. VW Beetles?

 

[justin]

No other country that I have visited displays its flags so prominently, invokes patriotic messages so frequently in their daily routines, nor displays frequent testaments on Public Billboards to their patriotism.

North Korea. Though you probably haven't visited there.

 

[MJ]

That would be a long drive. Have you actually done this drive?

It's been awhile but when my father had a condo in South Beach (hindsight, wish I had bought it), I did NYC to Miami Beach in 36 hours.

 

[Maximillion]

Justin, have you visited North Korea or do you rely upon News reports??

.

CoolDood, WW11 started to halt the Nazi takeover of Europe in 1939, the fact that you trivialize it shows your lack of knowledge of that era and our debt to those soldiers.

The fact that Hitler's Armies were held at bay for 2 years until the US was forced to participate is the only reason you are not eating Sauer Kraut and Frankfurters, although German Beer is 10 times as good as anything the US produces.

Why are you using the Maple Leaf as a back drop, should you not use another flag, or do you just display Flags of Conveniance

 

[brewer12345]

Hey, wasn't Vietnam supposed to be the one-size-fits-all prototype for loser America-haters to compare Iraq to?

I see a lot of similarities between the two foolish wars. The big differences IMO are that we have not had a draft (yet) and we have not had significant domestic economic consequences (yet). Other than that...

 

[justin]

Justin, have you visited North Korea or do you rely upon News reports??

I've seen it on Fox News so it must be true. Those North Koreans are fanatics.

Just kidding. I base my opinion of N Korea on what I've heard from talking to S. Koreans and Chinese guys during university, a few british documentaries I've seen on N. Korea (some were a few years old), and various news and international government sources. Hell, what do I know though?

Do you have any evidence to suggest that N Korea is less nationalist than the US?

 

[brewer12345]

I've seen it on Fox News so it must be true.  Those North Koreans are fanatics.

Just kidding.  I base my opinion of N Korea on what I've heard from talking to S. Koreans and Chinese guys during university, a few british documentaries I've seen on N. Korea (some were a few years old), and various news and international government sources.  Hell, what do I know though?

Do you have any evidence to suggest that N Korea is less nationalist than the US? 

It does great credit to the clowns in charge of the US to have the country compared to N. Korea...

 

[Maximillion]

Justin, don't know, all the people who disgreed , they disappeared?

We all should be worried about that Nut Bar, he could start the next war, hopefully he will tick off China and they will take him out.

 

[justin]

It does great credit to the clowns in charge of the US to have the country compared to N. Korea...

Well, we're only comparing nationalism between the two countries. I'd wager plenty of other countries have plenty of nationalism going on. North Korea came to mind as an extreme example of a country with a government that promotes nationalist sentiment.

I think the US nationalist sentiment arises mainly from its citizens' pride in their country. I dislike a number of aspects of our country/policies/politics, but I take pride in my country.

 

[HFWR]

A couple of minor differences between the USA and, say, N. Korea:

We can complain;

We can vote.

I now return you to the previously scheduled pissing contest discussion...

 

[brewer12345]

A couple of minor differences between the USA and, say, N. Korea:

We can complain;

We can vote.

I now return you to the previously scheduled pissing contest discussion...

Not so sure about all that any more. I keep running across disturbing news reports of the gummint clamping down on dissenters (political opponents on the no fly list, cars with the "wrong" bumper stickers getting towed from federal property, etc.) and it is entirely unclear what the hell happeed in the last couple of presidential elections.

 

[Calgary_Girl]

I don't think you can judge your own country until you've actually lived outside of it for a bit. I lived in the U.S. for a couple of years and it may me appreciate Canada even more (no offense).

I even convinced DH (American) to move to Canada in 2001 and he'll be applying for his Canadian citizenship this summer . We have no plans to move back to the U.S. permanently. I wouldn't mind spending a couple of months there in the winter as snowbirds but that's about it.

 

[justin]

I don't think you can judge your own country until you've actually lived outside of it for a bit. I lived in the U.S. for a couple of years and it may me appreciate Canada even more (no offense).

I even convinced DH (American) to move to Canada in 2001 and he'll be applying for his Canadian citizenship this summer . We have no plans to move back to the U.S. permanently. I wouldn't mind spending a couple of months there in the winter as snowbirds but that's about it.

That's fine. Us Merkins need somewhere to exile our unwanteds to.

 

[LRS]

The USA is my homeland and I love it. I am American by culture, for better or worse, and even though I've traveled a lot and would love to live outside the country for a few years, I wouldn't consider leaving permanently.

That said, I think our current administration is the worst in our history. Our honor and integrity are being dragged through the mud by the chimp who bought the highest office in the land and his manipulators. It's shameful.

 

[Cool Dood]

That's fine. Us Merkins need somewhere to exile our unwanteds to.

Just think, over the last generation or so a large number of talented people have moved from Canada (among other places) to America to fully live out the life they can achieve with their talents, while a motley group of misfits flee America -- it'll be interesting to watch the differences in dynamism between the two countries as history unfolds........

 

[Maximillion]

I can't see Kerry running again, the US won't vote for Hiliary, so who is the Democrat that has the best shot of grabbing disillusioned Republican Voters

 

[brewer12345]

Just think, over the last generation or so a large number of talented people have moved from Canada (among other places) to America to fully live out the life they can achieve with their talents, while a motley group of misfits flee America -- it'll be interesting to watch the differences in dynamism between the two countries as history unfolds........

Actually, it is quite hard to legally enter Canada unless you are young, well, educated, have valuable work experience, and speak english and/or french. You also typically need to have a job. Sounds like productive citizens to me...

 

[Cool Dood]

Actually, it is quite hard to legally enter Canada unless you are young, well, educated, have valuable work experience, and speak english and/or french. You also typically need to have a job. Sounds like productive citizens to me...

You must be new to Canada.........

 

[brewer12345]

You must be new to Canada.........

OK, then enlighten me. All the entry requirements I have seen seem pretty stiff. What have you seen?

 

[Cool Dood]

OK, then enlighten me. All the entry requirements I have seen seem pretty stiff. What have you seen?

Most of the highly qualified people who are granted entry aren't able to practice their profession and wind up driving taxis. In practice the requirements are a lot less stiff than they appear on paper. Even the border security is, ah, not the most ironclad defense in the world.....

In short, just because the government puts out some pamphlets that say "we are looking for highly qualified people to join the Canadian journey and transform our society into a modern, leading society," etc.., doesn't really affect the quality of the people who are moving here. YMMV.

 

[brewer12345]

Most of the highly qualified people who are granted entry aren't able to practice their profession and wind up driving taxis. In practice the requirements are a lot less stiff than they appear on paper. Even the border security is, ah, not the most ironclad defense in the world.....

In short, just because the government puts out some pamphlets that say "we are looking for highly qualified people to join the Canadian journey and transform our society into a modern, leading society," etc.., doesn't really affect the quality of the people who are moving here. YMMV.

So, IOW, its about like the US? Except maybe you get more and fewer Mexicans?

 

[Cool Dood]

So, IOW, its about like the US? Except maybe you get more and fewer Mexicans?

LOL, too true.......

(not sure what the would be, maybe Greeks, or Chinese, but whatever -- Greeks, Chinese and Mexicans are all welcome by me!)

 

[Cool Dood]

Especially if they bring their food preparation techniques.......