I'am a student from holland and I am preparing my final English presentation. I have chosen the subject ''Why isn't America the greatest country in the world''. I have chosen this subject because of the resent ''goverment shutdown'' and ,for example, I already had my opinion about the so called most democratic system in the world and the two party system. I didn't open this topic because i have something against America, I just want to know how you 'ínsiders' in America see things (I am Dutch) and for the most i want to receive information which i can use in my presentation and I also really want to understand the American system/how things work in America, because i know things work differently in the States than in The Netherlands. So I really want to hear about the 'Wrongs' in America. EP
Europeans have always been nosy and opinionated of USA. How often do you see an American saying who should be elected in a foreign country the way some trolls here seem to think they should do? Do we tell people in other countries what kind of health care they should have? Why do they move here in droves? Do they care so much about us because we run the world? I ask myself these questions as a American. I don't think we have the perfect government but I think we have the best one when everything is combined. Like how Germany has a better energy plan (we'll mostly) But huge speech censorship, specially when it comes to national socialism. Like how UK has better health care but has higher taxed gas and muslim imports. But anyway, I think we should have a 3rd party but its hard its not a overnight thing, and we have around 14 choices for president. Usually 5 choices each party so one can run against the other. Then we got Libertarian and Green party. Both are underfunded and that's why they don't win. Its a media/bank thing. I know it will change in the future but right now most people accept it or they wouldent vote for Dem/Rep. They "fall" for the trap you might say, but they vote for who they want.
Not number one with regard to what exactly? The best country in the world is highly subjective. For a Bangladesh man who loves his country it can be Bangladesh and Bangladesh only.
The U.S. government is not 'strictly' a democracy, it is a Constitutional Republic, a form of democracy. The recent 'shutdown' is/was only an application of a political process that may change from topic to topic. The only thing that doesn't change is the Constitution and even that may frequently be under attack. Not much of use in the government was shutdown anyway, the ol' steam roller just keeps a'rollin along... If someone was delayed in getting an entry Visa, well, so sorry. Plan ahead next time. That the U.S. may or may not be #1 in or about anything is nothing but a judgement call and has little influence in the daily life of a citizen. Maybe in the media, but those guys aren't doing so well themselves. Should citizens feel there is a problem with the government then they have opportunities every even numbered year to step up and do something about it. Sometimes they do the wrong thing. It eventually works out regardless of what revisionist history teaches. Finally, it's not really a two party system but control is held by two major parties with some influence from voters who align with other parties or organization.
It is a country that trys to forcefully export democracy, but it's own Congress only has a 5% approval rating. Even so, the same people keep getting reelected for the most part.
Wait...what? Ask yourself this: If we aren't #1, who is? The bottom line is that we dominate militarily, economically, scientifically, and culturally. I can back any of those up if you really doubt it. If you're wanting to argue that your system of government is superior, I would say that, in an American system, we have checks and balances that are designed to ensure that no one group of people has a lot of power. The shutdown was an example of those checks and balances at work: it forced people to compromise.
None is obliged to be number one in everything since existence is not a race . All the Dutch i know introduce themselves as "from the Netherlands" not from Holland ...but in case you are who you say you are you may wanna dig into who were the forefathers of the colonials . To give you a hint maybe they feel that they want to prove something to those who got rid of them.
If you are really in college it should require No effort to find a professor willing to list endless wrongs he or she blames on America. One of the failings of our countries higher educational system is an over abundance of left wing America haters who are there to indoctrinate rather than teach.
As others have pointed out, it is purely a subjective question. I bet you are very proud to be from the Netherlands. I am originally from Australia and I am equally proud of that country. Americans are no better or worse. As far as Democracy is concerned, again I dont see anything particularly wrong at the moment, dysfunctional, yes, but that is attitude not mechanisms driving that. Even if you reset the clock from the end of the Civil War, the US is still in the top 4 oldest democracies on the planet. Perhaps the topic might be "What is perceived as being wrong with the US" rather than what actually is
To add to the responses to your post, here is an excerpt from a recent Congressional hearing that may show you some of what may be wrong with the U.S. today... Unfortunately, there's not more to the conversation, but plenty to contemplate.
I use mostly Holland, and ya I'm from there so it's acceptable but not officially correct... what's less acceptable is the use of "dutch" that's an anglo term, probably originated from mistaken identity confusing us with the nasty neighbours the duetsch from deutschland (Germany)...my mother was always offended when someone called her "dutch" she thought they were saying she was a "deutsche"...
perception works both ways...often what americans perceive as right is also in error.... it's related to how much idiotic patriotism is at work, you find it in every country people are often deluded in regards to their countries self-importance...
Agreed - A true patriot loves their country warts and all. But strives to find ways to remove the warts.
military-only because you're willing to bankrupt your country to do so, other countries have more sense... economic- struggling and coming apart quickly(see military)... scientifically-subjective and recent, europe, asia, middleast began science research many centuries before the US existed and science is largely dependent on the funding, the vast majority of US wealth is result of occupying an underpopulated, resource rich continent and driven by military research... culture-so absolutely irrelevant and entirely subjective, honey boo boo! really? ...
Yippee... a portion of the hearing from which the quote above was given is linked here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0aVD79mcwE I'll not include the actual video @ 7:26 minutes but Rep. Gowdy from South Carolina pursues the line of questioning. At the last 2:26 minutes he turns to Mr. Turley for some answers, the best two minutes of the vid. Representative Gowdy had been a Criminal Prosecutor in South Carolina before elected to Congress. And just for entertainment value, Gowdy closes with reference to another Representative, which must have been purely for comedy.
You don't have anything against America, you name the thread "Why the USA isnt #1", and you only want to hear about the "Wrongs" in America. Sounds like a good open mind you have. Why are you here in the USA?
First, as I've said, if we aren't number 1? Who is? Canada? I'll take these one by one: Our military isn't what's bankrupting our country; that's only about a fifth of the national budget. Our entitlement spending has risen the most recently, and that's our problem. Also, it seems like you Canadians should be thankful for us to pay for so much of your protection. Regardless, we have the most powerful military. Do you dispute that? But still by far the most economically powerful nonetheless. We're the only nation to have a 14 figure GDP! Here's Wikipedia's list of major American inventions: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:American_inventions There's almost 450 listed. And many of them are ones that have completely changed the world, such as cell phones, the Internet, modern cars, airplanes, and modern computers, to name a few. Do you know of a country that can even come close to rival this list? Need I mention the fact we are the first and only nation to put a man on the moon, and we did it almost 45 years ago! The US has without a doubt been the world's dominant scientific force in the last hundred years. I think it's irrelevant, too, but I just put that in their because of the liberals who like to latch onto it. I was referring to the fact that America has had such a big impact on the popular culture...Blue Jeans are everywhere, business suits are everywhere, McDonalds is everywhere, and Facebook is everywhere, to name a few examples.
us is not the number 1, it is just a country where some rights are safeguard better then in other country, certainly better then in most european country.
I see us failing on most things going as far back as the Reagan era. We've been trying to shape our economy after the Mexico model since that time. For Republicans, the American middle class has just gotten too uppity and we need to be put in our place once and for all.
The US has lost it's preeminence in many ways due to the rise of the Marxist/Zionist influences. The US used to be a Constitutional Republic, in other words a country based upon principles outlined by the Constitution which set the tone and boundaries for laws which were supposed to protect everyones rights whether they belonged to an unpopular minority or not. Presently there is a move by the elitist establishment to Sovietize and Balkenize the US with the ultimate goal of destroying it's sovereignty, and reducing it to a mere integral part of a global market owned and operated by the wealthiest financiers. The US media has degenerated to nothing more than a propaganda tool which is controlled by an intelligencia who are bought and paid for by said wealthy moguls. The US still flies the Stars and Stripes. But they no longer represent the original soul they once embodied. That spirit now only resides in those patriots who still retain the ideology of dedication to Godly principles and country in their hearts and minds. The majority of the US representatives have become little more than Zionist tools, mercenaries, and overrated high classed prostitutes with more money and power than they have soul.
Just because you've managed to raise paranoia to an art form doesn't mean they still aren't out to get you, eh?
There is neither a commonly accepted definition nor a measuring system for the "greatness" of a country. That can be defined by the number of wars having been won, the tradition, achievements in science or arts, religious reasoning or simple patriotism. Asking 50 people from 50 different countries about which country is the greatest would reveal 50 different answers. It is therefore easy to find reasons for criticizing the US but it is unfair for a non US citizen to assess the "greatness" of the USA, like every evaluation of a foreign country and its society by a foreigner is biased and unfair. The title of the essay in addition anticipates the result. What would you do if your research would result in a finding that the USA in fact are #1? In reality the result depends from the definition of criteria, being easy to arrange in either way. This inevitable subjectivity of the result makes the final conclusion according to the title a statement comparable to "racism". Better try to think about why the Netherlands aren't #1 or why the essay is not a #1 essay.
My experience that the number one thing with Americans is they make everything a big deal. Are you an atheist? Better make sure that nativity scene outside the courthouse it burnt to the ground cuz you can't allow them pesky Christians celebrate at gov building. Are you a republican? Better make sure that you call all Democrats unmoral, hippies, that embrace communism and Islam. Are you a democrat? Better make sure you hate that republican calling them neanderthals, homophobic, and cruel to poor people. Basically hate your opposite view with a passion. I know we have this in Europe but having to put up with everyone being in everyone's business does really feel a lot worse in America. I guess I'm not used to everyone being up and in your face with their views but I do feel this might be a reason why their government doesn't work at the moment. No one can get along.
This is all a matter of opinion. In my personal opinion the USA is not the best however the country is without doubt one of the best.
