Is America that great anymore?

I have heard some people complain that Americans cop criticisims on Ats simply for being Americans. Typically some people will draw a anology of America ( the USA) in contempory times to being like Ancient Rome. This analogy is largely attributed to what i believe being the US foreign policy exercised since the end of World war 2. The policy being to divide and conquere smaller nations bother militarily, economically and geographically. The US tried most directly with Korea, Vietnam and in more recent decades to do this in the Middle east.

On the homefront or should i say the homeland the US people complain about the performance of their government, for example failed to prevent the 9/11 attack, failed to fix the economy, failed to accept pertition to build a Death star. Oh yes the Government failed, or has it.

This brings me to my point if the US really has fallen of its pedastal and is bankrupt morally, economically, spiritually, politically, and every other way in between and otherwise, then who is really to blame the US government or the US people??

reply to post by AthlonSavage


BOTH!!!! Those whom followed the government and looked up to them as their masters, and those whom were elected and allowed corruption to allow them to screw over their own!!!

reply to post by seeker1963


LOL the bad Karma is feeding itself like a snake meeting its on tail biting it and then starting to devour it. I see the incredibly funny irony of this.

reply to post by AthlonSavage


The sad thing is, it is funny and sad at the same time! Us serfs cry and scream when we don't get our way, yet we bow down to our oppressors and actually show up to elect them!!!

Divide and Conquer has never EVER!!!! Been so brilliantly used against it's citizens as those of us in the US have allowed our own imprisonment.........

But yet, you can assure yourself, that there will be many many more threads on ATS arguing over which party has the moral high ground over the other.....when in fact, those who believe in our two party system, have allowed themselves to become part of the biggest fraud and crime against the citizens of our country....

I think americans have just been riding the coattails of the previous generations accomplishments, for the last 40 years, and it just keeps getting worse.

Where are the leaps in technology and meaningful legislation in the last 30-40 years?
Compare the accomplishments of the last 40 years to the accomplishments of the 40 years before that.

1930-1970
computers are invented
women gain the right to vote
civil right laws are enacted
space travel is begun
jet aircraft are invented
nuclear power and weapons are invented
labor unions grow in members and power

those are just few things that I thought of off the top of my head.

1970-2010
I`ll leave this blank because I can`t think of anything off the top of my head that even comes close to compare with the things i listed above.

Americans seem to have become apathetic and are content living with the old accomplishments of previous generations.
Instead of looking around them and saying "we can do better than this" americans now seem to look around them and say " well, it could be worse".
Nobody ever became a winner by being content with not being the worst.
americans now seem content with taking the easy road and accepting fewer rewards rather than taking the hard road and gaining much greater rewards.

dont blame the people, they have all be decieved, distracted, told to look the other way, conditioned from birth.
the gov wants you to shut up and keep on buying stuff, while they accept bribes from lobbyists.

i think the problems stems from policies, policies that feed on themselves and lead to more policies.
big companies who bribe congress to pass these policies.

thats were it starts

so i think congress is to blame. its corrupt beyond repair
if they all had morals like ron paul then we wouldnt have this problem

America lost "it" with each regulation it passed, with each law it wrote, with each tax it passed. With each one of these comes a new bureaucracy to administer then bureaucracies to oversee and so on until the pig no longer fits the pen. Those feeding at the trough be they Democrat or Republican administrations just went on feeding frenzies and power orgies.

The cure? A drastic diet.

Eliminate every single law, rule, regulation, statute, and tax that wasn't voted on by a legislative body. Can't do this a little at a time, got to do it like quitting cigs, quick and total.

Pigs got to eat to stay alive you say can take away all its food. Only allow new rules, regulations, statutes, taxes of 500 words or less and they must be voted on by a legislative body with a 75% majority. That'll keep the pig lean a long time.

What!!!!!! you say, too radical, to innovative, too liberal, too nonrestrictive, to tight with reins of power.

If I could write an amendment to the constitution to fix america it would be this:
Excepting the Constitution and Bill of Rights all federal laws, rules, regulations, statutes and tax regulations of over 500 words are hereby now declared and shall remain null and void. Further all federal laws, rules, regulations, statutes and tax regulations not passed by a 75% vote of a legislative body are hereby now declared and shall remain null and void. Furthermore, only a duly elected legislative body shall have the right to impose any federal law, rule, regulation, statute or tax regulation, and to pass must have a 75% or greater majority; and shall be restricted to a maximum of 500 words.

Power feeds on itself and we the people need to take back the power. Power to the People!

Originally posted by Tardacus
1930-1970
computers are invented
women gain the right to vote
civil right laws are enacted
space travel is begun
jet aircraft are invented
nuclear power and weapons are invented
labor unions grow in members and power

1970-2010
I`ll leave this blank because I can`t think of anything off the top of my head that even comes close to compare with the things i listed above.

Most of those weren't Americans anyway. Women were gaining the right to vote all around the world, Australia was first, America was just following the other nations. The Jet aircraft was developed by a British man and a German. The first computer was designed by a British mathematician, Charles Babbage. As for space travel, the Russians were in the lead, with the first satellite and first man in space. For travel to the moon, obviously the yanks win that. As for civil rights, it wasn't exactly groundbreaking stuff, if anything it was too little too late.

America did however invent and was the first to use the Atomic bomb, much to the worlds dismay. Of course a German born physicist did the theory, and its probably the most appalling invention yet.

So I'm no so sure the previous generation in America was that great, and I haven't even started on the wars and human rights abuses.

This video (although it's a tv show) pretty much sums up how I feel.

That depends on how you choose to look at it. I for one feel the American people lost the most imporant thing in life, people!

Not saying all of them though, only most are only concerned with Money and the new TV they can get every 6 months. And it is a rat race and a very thin line if you live on credit!

By far Credit is the worst thing out there, pay cash and people think somethings wrong with you. As for the Gov, they have lost the meaning of We The People and turned this into a Corp.

Any othe place in this world you could walk down the street and be okay; if you belong there. Here you just might get killed going somewhere! I would give it all up though, being in the US. Would rather be homeless and hanging out with real people then ones who pretend that life is so good!

Rome fell and it shall be the US turn also. Its just history and now the US is at its tipping point, way its going. Sorry to say it's past it point! We all know this though, sure something will come along and try to trip it up some only the bags up!

If i can give $Bill's to pass a bill, why have a Goverment?

Is America that great anymore?

Honestly, no.

We are in a post-America period where we and the world are floundering until the next super-power emerges.

Would I like to see us rise like a phoenix from the ashes? Of course, but we are too barbaric, too uneducated, too lazy, too narcissistic, too divided and too combative to make that happen. . and like all dysfunctional people, we can barely even admit we have a problem.

I'll brace myself for all of the flaming replies telling me I'm a hater. Not so, it's very patriotic to stand up and say something is wrong.

Originally posted by Tardacus
.

1930-1970
computers are invented
women gain the right to vote
civil right laws are enacted
space travel is begun
jet aircraft are invented
nuclear power and weapons are invented
labor unions grow in members and power

those are just few things that I thought of off the top of my head.

1970-2010
]

Sorry to be picky but Sir Frank Whittle invented the jet aircraft engine, and Alan Turing invented the computer - they were both British.

Also Europeans / British and lastly the Americans discovered Nuclear fission etc
world-nuclear.org...

Originally posted by polarwarrior

Originally posted by Tardacus
1930-1970
computers are invented
women gain the right to vote
civil right laws are enacted
space travel is begun
jet aircraft are invented
nuclear power and weapons are invented
labor unions grow in members and power

1970-2010
I`ll leave this blank because I can`t think of anything off the top of my head that even comes close to compare with the things i listed above.

Most of those weren't Americans anyway. Women were gaining the right to vote all around the world, Australia was first, America was just following the other nations. The Jet aircraft was developed by a British man and a German. The first computer was designed by a British mathematician, Charles Babbage. As for space travel, the Russians were in the lead, with the first satellite and first man in space. For travel to the moon, obviously the yanks win that. As for civil rights, it wasn't exactly groundbreaking stuff, if anything it was too little too late.

America did however invent and was the first to use the Atomic bomb, much to the worlds dismay. Of course a German born physicist did the theory, and its probably the most appalling invention yet.

So I'm no so sure the previous generation in America was that great, and I haven't even started on the wars and human rights abuses.

edit on 17/1/13 by polarwarrior because: (no reason given)

I didn`t mean to imply that all those accomplishments were uniquely and solely american, those were examples of big accomplishments that the previous generation of americans had the foresight and motivation to fight for and sacrifice for in order to implement them into american society, things that had a huge impact on american society.Things that would benefit them and future generations.
The american generation of the last 40 years have done nothing to compare to those things.

The United States certainly has many faults. Where to begin......just like any other country!
What America has that makes it great is it's benevolence (don't beat me up over this), It's schools of higher learning, Individual drive and ingenuity. People forming the government and having last word. People willing to die to rescue the weak (Haiti) . America has faltered before but is the only government system to allow it to rise up again, and oh yah they got the most bombs!

Originally posted by Tardacus

Originally posted by polarwarrior

Originally posted by Tardacus
1930-1970
computers are invented
women gain the right to vote
civil right laws are enacted
space travel is begun
jet aircraft are invented
nuclear power and weapons are invented
labor unions grow in members and power

1970-2010
I`ll leave this blank because I can`t think of anything off the top of my head that even comes close to compare with the things i listed above.

Most of those weren't Americans anyway. Women were gaining the right to vote all around the world, Australia was first, America was just following the other nations. The Jet aircraft was developed by a British man and a German. The first computer was designed by a British mathematician, Charles Babbage. As for space travel, the Russians were in the lead, with the first satellite and first man in space. For travel to the moon, obviously the yanks win that. As for civil rights, it wasn't exactly groundbreaking stuff, if anything it was too little too late.

America did however invent and was the first to use the Atomic bomb, much to the worlds dismay. Of course a German born physicist did the theory, and its probably the most appalling invention yet.

So I'm no so sure the previous generation in America was that great, and I haven't even started on the wars and human rights abuses.

edit on 17/1/13 by polarwarrior because: (no reason given)

I didn`t mean to imply that all those accomplishments were uniquely and solely american, those were examples of big accomplishments that the previous generation of americans had the foresight and motivation to fight for and sacrifice for in order to implement into american society, things that had a huge impact on american society.
The american generation of the last 40 years have done nothing to compare to those things.

edit on 17-1-2013 by Tardacus because: (no reason given)

edit on 17-1-2013 by Tardacus because: (no reason given)

My 2 cents - I believe it was because that generation were a really great generation. We pale in insignificance in comparison. Most of that generation have died now and personally i MISS THEM.

We have been spoilt and nanny'd and ruined .. that goes for most countries, we are devolving, with eacg successive generation getting worse IMO.

I blame the silent generation, what a fitting name... Wallace should have been re-elected VP.

reply to post by Tardacus

Nobody ever became a winner by being content with not being the worst.
americans now seem content with taking the easy road and accepting fewer rewards rather than taking the hard road and gaining much greater rewards.

Well said Tardacus. I think you have summed up my feeling on the situation. The US want to be leaders and at the same time be content with two party idea system and contented America is world class because they heard it on Oprah while munching their bag of crisps.

reply to post by kosmicjack

Would I like to see us rise like a phoenix from the ashes? Of course, but we are too barbaric, too uneducated, too lazy, too narcissistic, too divided and too combative to make that happen. . and like all dysfunctional people, we can barely even admit we have a problem.

When states of the US constituion start making advocating to break from the Fedral Union then clearly the US has hit a point where the dysfunctionality is near a untenable point for maintaining a balance in its constitutional instituitons and belief systems, founded by its original fore fathers. In basic terms the US constitution is no longer a workable document as it has been superceded by reality, and what is the new reality emerging for the US, what will the US look like fifty years from now? Will there be a democracy still?

The government in its intended form is sound the politicians , eh not so much.


I believe whole heartedly in the Constitution of the United States of America I no longer have any faith in the politicians from either party to fulfill the obligations of their elected office or their oath to protect and defend the
Constitution of the Unites States of America in any capacity.

I don't know where they have gone awry and I no longer care I just want them out of Washington D.C.
I know that there are a few in D.C. Who are ethical and would love to do as promised unfortunately the elected officials only seems to stay ethical until the status quo get their meat hooks into them then ethics are out the window and its all about power and money in the bank....

Just my .02

If you have to ask if this couny is great or need inspiration take a look at the flag on any day and remember how many lives have been lost and or would be given in defense and representation of that flag!

When was America morally stable? Stolen land, racism, hypocrisy and genocide are the four cornerstones. A house built on lies will never last.

The people who stand silent today are the result of the previously vocal being silenced through violence.

There has always been a 1% at the expense of other humans.