Is America the greatest country in the world?

An eft perhaps?

Emotional Freedom Techniques or Electronic Funds Transfer?

Skip that.

I realised a long while ago that I just do not understand the American mind....whoever said we are 'two countries separated by a common language' got it dead right.
Who was it?

It was George Bernard Shaw. Just googled it - you should go to Google UK - there's a lovely Klimt picture on the Google page.

And Shaw was right - when I was doing German in Vienna, American students and I would always use German, not our common language of English, because in English we kept misunderstanding each other. My Yorkshire accent didn't help of course.

America is a fabulous country...lived there 2 yrs 1960-62, went to school Washington DC...(went to Kennedy's inauguration!)..they are also incredibly kind...but are the the best? No way WE ARE!

Pammy - yes, many individual Americans are very kind and hospitable, but the fact remains that in one of the richest countries in the world people can still die because they don't have health insurance, and the death penalty still exists in many states.

Exactly, Greatnan

And their prison system - the sheer number of people who are incarcerated - is a disgrace.
And yes you are right about their lovely side. One of my best friends... and she would absolutely agree with our criticisms.

I gather that a black ballerina was told that America was not ready for a black dancer in a classical role - but they said it was not ready for a black president! We can live in hope.

jessm I misread your post as incinerated!
That'll teach me to wake up before reading GN!

It's not the reading wrong, its the responding wrong and then having to apologise that besets me!
i found you on Twitter jenni

I didn't know I was on twitter?

I loved living there for 7 years and made many friends as Americans are so welcoming and hospitable. If they say 'if you're passing drop by' they mean it. However, it doesn't mean that I liked everything they do. I hate their legal system as it just seems to be a way to make a lot of money as it's so complicated and convoluted. As a large country they are very parochial and have very little knowledge of other countries. [this is only what I came across - my personal views] Some of the questions I was asked about England truly amazed me. For example: what language did we speak in England, is the fog really bad, did we have a castle in our town etc etc.[ We do have one close by tho', Corfe Castle]. When my ex-husband had to attend meetings he frequently came home with tales of their lack of language skills.
I think we find it very difficult to understand why the majority of Americans were so against Obama's reforms on Medical care. To them it smacks of Communism, they think the Labour Party is akin to Communism - we were asked if that was the reason we left the UK. Sadly since the Twin Towers muslims get a bad press and a bad reaction. However, their reaction may seem a bit extreme, but when we went a few years after 9/11 the effect that it had had on New Yorkers and Americans is still raw.
Despite their faults it is a wonderful country, beautiful to look at, great place for food and its people both annoying and charming. Yes it is the greatest country despite its faults.

Just realised there's a simple answer to

'Is America the Greatest Country in the World?

Yes - if you're well off, and fully medically insured.
No - if you fail on either of the above.

A great country doesn't leave it's poor to suffer because they can't pay for medical care. I have a friend there who was in desperate need of anti depressants but he couldn't afford them. However when he finally lost the plot and tried to kill himself suddenly he was in a mental hospital. The sad thing is that if he'd had access to anti-depressants he probably wouldn't have tried to die. Now the cycle is starting again. He needs anti-depressants but can't afford them. The time will come when he tries to die again. Lets be honest if he tries often enough he'll succeed in the end.

It's pretty grim isn't it, VampireQueen? I've heard an argument that Americans are on average poorer than Canadians because of the American defense budget.

Maybe America's relative poverty compared with Canada has something to do with the US military budget, but it has a lot more to do with far-right politics, the demonising of anything deemed 'socialist' such as a decent health care system, and lack of opportunity for the poor.

The American military budget is $2141 per capita and the Canadian one is $560. I don't think this affects the outcome of comparative wealth very much. Assuming an average household of 3 people, this puts the difference down to around $35,000 from $40,000.

All this confirms my belief that totally unbridled capitalism hurts ordinary people.

They say they need to spend that much on the military to defend their country but who are they defending themselves from. They say they are at war with terrorism but by it's very nature terrorism doesn't declare war using armies. No matter how big your army is, no matter how many ships you have at sea or planes you have in the sky there is no way you can stop one person, working alone, placing a bomb.

It seems to me that their armed forces are simply there to impress their own people and intimidate the rest of the world.

And to make a lot of money for big business!
In fact, taking military action has probably vastly increased the risk of terrorist attacks.

I like Norway's response to terrorism.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18791448
it was a determination not to change anything, not to increase security and surveillance, but simply to celebrate their own long-established values.

Of course, it was a different variety of terrorism, but I still think America could learn from Norway.

Not that there's any chance of this.

Sorry - forgot to convert link:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18791448

America will not learn from anyone because it's convinced it's right.

There has just been a report on BBC News at 1 about a man going into a cinema firing at the crowd, shooting people at random. He also released a gas.

Perhaps they should sort out their own society before they try to tell the rest of the world what to do.

Dr Johnson said that 'Patriotism is the last resort of the scoundrel'

Every time I hear American politicians saying that their country is the best in the world, most democratic etc etc. Dr Johnson's saying rings in my ears

The Australians also repeatedly assert that theirs is the best country in the world. Comment Joan ?

Oh yes - but the Kiwis think theirs is too! We have the better income and working conditions, but theirs is so very beautiful. I don't know the Australian household income figures, but if they are out there, and good, we'll never hear the end of it.

I do feel we have a great political system here, even if the bug*ers go and elect someone awful like our current Qld Premier. We can't do owt about it except wait till next time, 'cos it was free and fair.

Talking about freedom, I am absolutely sure that we have more freedom here than in the USA, and I mean much much more. The fact that we all have medical coverage and we can all access higher education if we are bright enough, not just if we are wealthy enough, gives us all great freedom to be the best we can be. The fact that we have a welfare safety net gives us the freedom to refuse employment with bad conditions and pay, and gives us the freedom to retire on time with a safe guaranteed income. The decent minimum pay rates give us the freedom to work in any industry, and know we will have enough to live on. We have a free market economy which creates some very very rich individuals. We have the freedom to be as politically obnoxious, and as Right or Left as we choose (within the law of course). I'm sure there's more, but you get my drift.

But, alas and alack - neither country has Yorkshire.