Just how exceptional are we? (how much, school, compare, rating)

[MaseMan]

I've found the whole concept of "American exceptionalism" to be really weird and odd, no matter who is arguing for or against it. It seems to be something the media (both left and right) and "intellectuals" are more concerned with than any normal everyday person.

[Driller1]

IMO....we are on a downhill slide.

I could not help but notice the Water and Sanitation area.

Right now I know of five families that do not have running water in their home.......only in one case it is because "they are to lazy to work".

Four of the five are the working poor.

At one time there was funds to drill water wells though HUD or, Rural Development if the people had their taxes paid and had current home insurance.

A lien would be put on their home so the money was very likely repaid one way or, the other.

There has bee no funds for this in the last three years......yet we worry about other countries having water wells.

This is a sad refection of our government at work.

[TriMT7]

Honestly, these things are always a challenge for me.

On the one hand, I know that the US can do so much better on so many levels. But we also are still pretty much the center of western innovation and culture, in partnership with the Anglosphere.


On the other hand, it makes me mad that people actually think that the US should be or can be compared to the tiny countries of Europe, with 1/10th, 1/20th that of the US, or even less population than some of our major cities.


Kinda like: Well good for you and all. Come back to us when you've got an exponentially rising population, an incessant flow of poverty stricken immigrants from the third world and as much diversity in opinion, race, religion, and cultural and conflicting political view points as the United States.

It's really difficult trying to cobble together a national identity around differences and identity politics, whilst simultaneously suggesting everyone pitch in and enact programs and reforms to help each-other out because we're all one big happy American family or something.... except not.



The US should be in a category with countries of over 150 million (or maybe even 200 million) or more people. The bureaucratic inefficiencies when dealing with that level of population are huge obstacles to getting things done!

[Frank DeForrest]

Well our freedoms used to be exceptional, that is until progressives decided to make everything about a collective.

[BoomBen]

Originally Posted by Kracer

Ah, the socialist hospitalty booth thread!

Come in and enjoy.

No argument, you can never understand........and you thought you fixed everything by electing Obama. That makes you exceptionally dim.

why is everything to you about Obama? Your post brings the point of the thread into complete clarity.

Yes he stinks but he is no different than many of his predecessors.

[AKA Bubbleup]

Originally Posted by VTHokieFan

Were 16th

An astute observation but (gently), it's "We're 16th".

So there you have it. One rung up the ladder of functional literacy by way of an amicable transfer of knowledge.

Does that get us to 15th? :-)

[AKA Bubbleup]

Wow, if you look at the weak points in the US ratings, it's concentrated around the ecosystem, tolerance/ inclusion, obesity and affordable housing.

So to better our ranking the message is that we'd need play to the following special interest groups (climate/ecosystem, social minorities and poverty).

Anyone not clear on the agenda here?

[Little-Acorn]

Originally Posted by ErikBEggs

The United States military enforcement of the petro-dollar is exceptional.

Normal Americans' tolerance of people who are obsessed with distortions and lies like that one, is exceptional.

[Volobjectitarian]

So....a graph that show Europe with a bigger welfare state than the US?

Wow...groundbreaking and exciting...not.

[weltschmerz]

Originally Posted by VTHokieFan

Were 16th

36th in well-being.
23th in basic human needs.
5th in opportunity.....well behind Canada.