Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > World Forums > World
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
View Poll Results: Do you think America is the greatest country in the world?
Yes 38 38.00%
No 62 62.00%
Voters: 100. You may not vote on this poll

Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 09-10-2020, 04:05 PM
 
Location: Chicago, IL
2,752 posts, read 2,365,124 times
Reputation: 3150

Advertisements

In some ways yes, in other ways no (though at one point in those "other ways" the U.S. *was* on top of the world too). The US unfortunately has fast lost its status as the biggest and greatest economy in the world, regardless of what Trump says for his campaign rallies. We used to make things here, and also make the best things here, but those days are unfortunately over now. Our manufacturing base has been sold out to overseas and now we're mainly a white collar and service-centered economy.

However, I would still say America is the freest country in the world, and still the land of greatest opportunity. All things considered, it is the best country to move to for opportunity even still, even despite all the other issues in the country. There are still problems here but all things considered, including QOL, diversity, acceptance, freedoms, rights, and yes, morality, I would still say the U.S. leads the rest of the world.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 09-11-2020, 05:04 PM
 
Location: The South
7,469 posts, read 6,182,968 times
Reputation: 12964
Quote:
Originally Posted by slowlane3 View Post
The metric system is used by a whopping 95% of the world population. USA's competitiveness is hampered by its refusal to adopt the very logical metric system. Congress in the 1980s actually passed a metric law, but Ronald Reagan either vetoed or put it on hold.

USA's long-distance rail transportation (Amtrak) is embarrassingly slow, inefficient, and unreliable/ chronically behind schedule. Cities as large as Phoenix and Nashville have no service at all. And public works transportation projects, like NYC's new 2nd avenue subway line, are 2 or 3 times as costly to build - as European countries' systems are - due to corruption, inefficiency, and "featherbedding" (union regulations requiring excessing and redundant staffing levels.

USA has no commuter bus rapid transit (dedicated bus express lanes), unlike Brazil, Colombia, and European countries.

Medical procedures in USA, as well as medications such as Insulin, cost SEVERAL TIMES what they do in Europe, Canada, and other developed countries.

USA violent crime is many times higher than any other developed country -- and especially Japan which has virtually none.

Recycling compliance and collection is far higher in Europe than USA, and has been this way for decades. The capital city, Washington, had no recycling at all until about a decade ago after it was sued by the Sierra Club.
I took a look at my American car, sure enough, it has a 5.0 liter engine, spark plugs, lug-bolts and every bolt on the engine requires that funny mm stuff. Went to the booze store to buy some Kentucky, USA made Bourbon. I wanted a quart, cause its made in Kentucky, USA. All I could find was liters. Driving home, I glanced at the speed o meter, heck I was driving at 100 kph or 60 mph, both are on the speed o meter. I feel so much more advanced and maybe even civilized cause of the metric stuff.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-12-2020, 03:01 AM
 
Location: Various
9,049 posts, read 3,483,791 times
Reputation: 5470
Quote:
Originally Posted by CCrest182 View Post

However, I would still say America is the freest country in the world, and still the land of greatest opportunity. All things considered, it is the best country to move to for opportunity even still, even despite all the other issues in the country. There are still problems here but all things considered, including QOL, diversity, acceptance, freedoms, rights, and yes, morality, I would still say the U.S. leads the rest of the world.
There are several objective measures and rankings produced each year on Freedom. The USA is certainly a relatively free country across most measures and consistently ranks in the top 20, but it is a long way from No. 1. Sure people will disagree with them, and you have been told all your life that the US is "the land of the free".

I'd agree with you that at the top end of society, QOL is outstanding and probably the best in the world, but for the average citizen or below average in terms of income, I can assure you there are many places you would rather be.

But on the whole I agree the US is the "greatest" country in terms of global influence, military importance etc, but do not agree in aggregate on Freedom and QOL. Not to say it's not great. I love it and choose to spend plenty of time there every year before Covid.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-12-2020, 04:50 AM
 
5,882 posts, read 5,808,524 times
Reputation: 3481
Most places, have 'freedom' if of influence or money. America is no different. Outside of military power, I fail to detect just how America could ever be considered the 'greatest country in the world'.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-12-2020, 04:59 AM
Status: "I've got a fightin' side a mile wide but I pray for peace" (set 9 days ago)
 
Location: Florida
14,436 posts, read 9,523,136 times
Reputation: 11541
It's easy to say, 'No, America isn't the greatest... when not compared to other nations. In addition, 'greatest' must have a matrix of sorts... and I suspect, said list would be different for different people.

A person like my self who lives in a rural setting, will have a different view of greatness, than an urbanite. The subjectiveness is off the chart.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-12-2020, 05:23 AM
 
Location: Tulsa
2,230 posts, read 1,694,829 times
Reputation: 2434
Quote:
Originally Posted by CCrest182 View Post
In some ways yes, in other ways no (though at one point in those "other ways" the U.S. *was* on top of the world too). The US unfortunately has fast lost its status as the biggest and greatest economy in the world, regardless of what Trump says for his campaign rallies. We used to make things here, and also make the best things here, but those days are unfortunately over now. Our manufacturing base has been sold out to overseas and now we're mainly a white collar and service-centered economy.

However, I would still say America is the freest country in the world, and still the land of greatest opportunity. All things considered, it is the best country to move to for opportunity even still, even despite all the other issues in the country. There are still problems here but all things considered, including QOL, diversity, acceptance, freedoms, rights, and yes, morality, I would still say the U.S. leads the rest of the world.
America isn't a decent place for foreigners to move to for opportunities. The core value of America has become "America First", xenophobia is the unofficial motto now. In order to make America great again, foreigners must be deported, minorities must be controlled by "law and order", border walls must be huge and beautiful, US economy must be decoupled from China, testing must be slowed down. Considering that the rest of the world - with the exception of Russia - is taking advantage of America, America should terminate treaties and withdraw from UN because every deal made before 2016 is unfair to America.

Nobody knows immigration, technology, opportunities, diplomacy, politics, economics and ***** grabbing better than President Donald Trump.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-12-2020, 05:26 AM
Status: "I've got a fightin' side a mile wide but I pray for peace" (set 9 days ago)
 
Location: Florida
14,436 posts, read 9,523,136 times
Reputation: 11541
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoodHombre View Post
America isn't a decent place for foreigners to move to for opportunities. The core value of America has become "America First", xenophobia is the unofficial motto now. In order to make America great again, foreigners must be deported, minorities must be controlled by "law and order", border walls must be huge and beautiful, US economy must be decoupled from China, testing must be slowed down. Considering that the rest of the world - with the exception of Russia - is taking advantage of America, America should terminate treaties and withdraw from UN because every deal made before 2016 is unfair to America.

Nobody knows immigration, technology, opportunities, diplomacy, politics, economics and ***** grabbing better than President Donald Trump.
Don't you have a statute to knock over somewhere?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-12-2020, 09:21 AM
 
Location: East Coast of the United States
27,220 posts, read 28,302,028 times
Reputation: 24746
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoodHombre View Post
America isn't a decent place for foreigners to move to for opportunities.
It still is if you are part of the educated elite of the world.

If you are in the top 1% academically in your country, there's a good chance you will end up in the United States eventually.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-16-2020, 03:11 PM
 
Location: Madison, NJ
453 posts, read 339,535 times
Reputation: 1145
No.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-16-2020, 04:58 PM
 
Location: San Diego CA
8,372 posts, read 6,743,293 times
Reputation: 16681
Not the best nor the worst. It’s complicated.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > World Forums > World
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top