It doesn’t get any better than America

Agreed. I personally see NO need to continue this thread. Hopefully the author will, I doubt it though.

Well then, I guess that as a Canadian, I'm condemned to be less virtuous and less generous than Americans...

You see, I respect national pride very much, but it's that kind of insufferable "we're number one and the rest of the world should wish they were Americans" attitude that annoys us really a lot.

What I've seen often on this board is some American posters characterizing other nations as this or that - Canadians are socialists, the French are cowards, etc. And then those posters wonder why we're angry... it's as though the only country ever entitled to national pride was the United States, and that the only attitude fitting any other nation would be to be green with envy, or ashamed that they're not America.

Any nation has its good points and bad points. Personally, I will never pretend that Canada is the best, most virtuous, strongest or most generous nation in the world. We have our qualities of which I'm very proud, and we have our failings. Just as any other country has strengths and weaknesses. I'm starting to think that for the U.S., lack of modesty is one of those weaknesses.

However, in the end, I do very much prefer living in Canada and being Canadian. I was born here, raised here, that culture and national pride is a part of me, and the thing is, the standard of living is pretty good. But that's *me*. I'm not going to preach to others that Canada is so much better than other countries; but to those who believe I should lament that I'm not an American... becoming an American holds absolutely no appeal for me. Not because I hate or despise the United States, but very simply because I ENJOY BEING A CANADIAN.

"Even in Western countries like, Europe and Canada, starting a business is a monumental task (cutting through all the bureaucracy) that few succeed."

I have a friend who started his own writing/proofreading/translation business a few years ago... he simply got his incorporation from the government, it cost him something like $100 and is valid for five years... and he read up on how to file tax reports when you're a small business.

Last year he got a contract to translate one million words worth of text. He made enough money to pay off completely the house he and his girlfriend had bought a year earlier. And he got several tax breaks because since he works from home, he can deduct a whole slew of things - utilities, square footage used for work, etc.

So please, don't characterize my country on that point without knowing the way it really works. Success in starting a business in any country is dependent on a lot of factors.

I would. And guess what, I'm quite happy. Winter is fun - my hometown has the longest skating rink in the world.



I guess it comes back to what I was saying earlier... apparently the only fitting attitude for non-Americans is shame and envy... any national pride other than American national pride is apparently ludicrous and worse, blasphemous in the face of American greatness... And worst of all, any lack of desire on the part of Canadians to be like the Americans MUST be construed as hate of America.

I pity you, really.

I am Italian, born in Italy, my parents moved to America in the sixties and we lived in the ghetto----but didn't stay there long. Anyone can leave if they really want to. We started with nothing, no money, didn’t speak the language, but in a few years my dad (who didn’t smoke or drink away his money) bought a broken down house fixed it up and made possible a good living for us. America provides endless opportunities---you have to provide the effort.

I'm sick of all the bull that emanates from Canada and many European countries that America is the root of all evil----had my parents remained in Italy I would probably believe all that bull.

I have seen the enemy and the real evil----it comes from the endless stream of lies from leftwing organization mainly from Canada and Europe.

America has plenty of left-wingers and they are trying their hardest to kill the Golden goose along with their comrades from aboard, why?

I have no sympathy for you lefties----you live in lies and will not be happy until the whole world lives there with you.

I can't beleive that we have to argue about wich countrie is the best!!!!! This really mean, that people have serious problems in accepting that there are many countries, every country has advantages and disadvantages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! youhou???????
I live in Canada, it's cold, I hate cold, but in april until October, it's not cold....we have 4 seasons so we appreciate everyone of the seasons! That's it! Some places in the states are cold too...WTF! This is getting really really stupid.....
IF you feel good in your country, stay there and don't blast other countries!
The states is the home of americans, I respect that so we should all respect that home is where we wanna be. I'm Québecoise, I live in Montreal and I will live in Montreal 4 ever! That is not a matter to discuss, it's just childish...we could go on about (Province / State, City, neighborhood, house.....) I wanna say: STAY AND ENJOY WHERE YOU FEEL GOOD!

Ameliaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

normally i don't feed trolls, but you seem genuinely confused.

i started my own business in canada. i simply went to the approriate government agency, and paid for title(i think it was like twenty bucks, or something, i forget) of my business.
it took about twenty minutes.
canada IS a capitalist country, asleeper. wake up. in fact, the majority of GNP from canada has historically been from INDEPENDENT business(right), as opposed to MULTINATIONALS(left). once again, asleeper, wake up and smell the monopolies(left) which are sucking the lifeforce(right) from the world. you are so caught up in rhetoric and labels that you can't see the actual balance of power(which is borderless, BTW).

i think you are just another fascist troll/propoganda agent, so i will leave you to praise the glorious furheur of fascist america.

Unfortunately we Americans have our Jesse Jacksons, Michael Moors, and Barbara Streisands who make lots of noise and therefore get lots of press---the world thinks that America is a lot like them. How embarrassing for the average American.

All the leftwing nuts on this post claim to be Canadians----how embarrassing for Canadians.

I know that you Canadian posters don't represent the Average Canadian----I hope.

Funny last time i checked my government was right.....

Really, funny the proof that liveing under a police state is kinda more evident than your so called "proof". Would any one like to see MY proof?

Really, last time i checked only the rich survived in america, no free health and pretty crap social security. No offence but america isnt any better than any other country.

Funny sounds like someone has been reading a PLA book and changing a few thing.........

So the fact they have never been attacked by a forign power or have enemies right now is because they are pussies? Yeah right.....BTW a harder enviroment makes harder people, might want to take that into account

Yeah thats why thier country doesnt have a washington sniper running around, thats why thier country isnt invadeing a forign country using UN laws to justify its actions YET didnt go in with UN support!

This has got to be a joke. Your name is somehow appropriate for your actions because Sleeper, you must be dreaming.

Sleeper, i'm a British conservative, fairly right wing, and even I can see you're talking garbage. Whilst I am conservative, I appreciate the good things that have come from socialism i.e. the NHS, the minimum wage etc. If you don't have a blend of right and left, you're left with a country which lives on the political extreme.

Be thankful for the left, look at them as another balance without which society could not flourish. Without them you would be railing against the moderate right. Yin and Yang and all that.

"It doesn’t get any better than America"

That's the kind of attitude that keeps this country from becoming greater. We have people who see a problem with america, and they want to correct it. Then we have people who try and shut the people up and pretend that our country is perfect, that our government can do no wrong.

Some people just can't see anything wrong with our country, they don't think that we can make mistakes, and they think that they are always right. I feel sorry for those people.

Sleeper - you quoted my last post and then went into a rant about being sick of the lefty discourse coming from Canada and Europe, and again, we demonizing America.

This shows what I've said earlier... for some people, there is no middle ground. You can't say that you respect American philosophy and American accomplishments BUT that you're iffy on this or that - just the fact that there's a "BUT" means that you hate America, apparently.

Sleeper, you're of Italian descent - are you familiar with Pius IX and the doctrine of papal infallibility? I have to ask, are we elaborating a doctrine of American infallibility here?

Second, I have to ask... what is it you want from us? I for one am ready to recognize that America has some very good points in its favor. I don't hate America. Presently, I'm dating an American. But if you want me to say "You're right, Sleeper, America is indeed the very best country in the world, I'm ashamed that Canada has so many lefties, our country is screwed up and I wish I could live in America", you're going to wait a long time.

And that doesn't make me a "dirty lefty". It makes me a guy who dares to love his country even though it's not almighty America.

My friend got mugged in Chicago. Can you explain this? So in correction, maybe you could say "An undetermined amount of Americans are the most generous people in the world".

Of course, if you go anywhere else in the world you will just be mugged by everyone you see 24/7.

Yes! Sleeper, even other right wingers can see your wrong. Give up now, and realise America is far from perfect and it does get better.

I'd like to see what you'd be saying if you were poor in America and lived in a slum, and stood no chance of ever getting anywhere except working for little pay in a rubbish job.

Then we'd see who has the best country in the world. I doubt there is one, all have their plus and minus points. But it CERTAINLY isn't America, not under this leadership.

If your economy crashes due to Bush's and freinds mismanagment, i'tll be nice to see you post again.

I grew up in a poor neighborhood in America-----rather than whine about it I got a job, two jobs, and climbed out-----had I lived in other countries that would be unlikely.

America is the best country because the little guy can go as far as he or she wants to-----or they can stay where they are and whine-----it’s a free country.

BTW Bush is the best thing that happened to America and the world.

And why can't the little uy climb in oh say....Canada? Not to be rude and point out our syrup-making neighbors to the north, but you know, there's always a possibility that maybe all those close-minded teenagers with "Good Bush, Bad Bush" shirts are right. But no no no sleeper, they're ALL wrong.

AMERICA isn't the problem...it's all the IGNORANT, STUPID, BUSH HATING people that live here that's the problem. If we got rid of all of them, you'd finally be able to live in peace in this PERFECT nation.

Then again, the total population would be reduced to about....4. You, Bush, Michael Moore, and one of the Bush twins. Hey, maybe America isn't that bad after all.

Give it up.

Just come clean already! So are you george bush jr or sr in real life?

Sleeper:

As some know, I'm an American who leans towards the right. I'm a conservative. I like Bush. I think he's doing a great job. See, I think it's good that you came from Italy, found a country you loved, and lived out the American dream of rising from the bottom to the top. That's great! And a lot of what you're saying is true. If some people would just stop whining about how they're poor, they could get a job and make some money. I agree with you that America is a great country with great power that tries to help other countries, but I can't go around saying it's the best country on the planet and that all other countries suck. I think it's great, but other people might not. Like other people are saying, every country has it's ups and downs, and you have to appreciate those too. I do think it's one of the best, but that doesn't mean that other countries suck, or even that everyone agrees with me. You're on the right track, you just need to cool the fire a little bit....a lot

Scat: You included Michael Moore in people who love Bush!?!??! What!??!