Like it or not Euros, we're the best country in the world

[Vlad Antlerkov]

Meh. Still, I've heard that statement about Daley's machine handing the White House to Kennedy too much to not correct it (and not just from Republicans, either).

And I don't really think much of JFK, either.

[leftover_crack]

"Dan Servern, while Bush is legally the President of the US, he was not elected legally. He was elected through massive voter disenfranchisement and vote fraud in the state of Florida. The 3,000 or so confused people in West Palm Beach, certainly contributed to it but so did illegally forcing counties to accept invalid absentee ballots and illegally keeping as many as 100,000 ex-felons from voting. The Bush government here broke the law to make sure that his brother won the election.
"


Not to stick up for that redneck or anything. But some 200,000 people were turned away from the republican dominated Panhandle. Why did this happen you ask? The Election/State was called an hour before there people usually go out to vote. Alot of people were angry. They were going to the polling booths listening to there radio's AND...suddenly "We interupt this broadcast to bring you the latest NEWS. GORE has just won florida".

Lets be fair now folks.

[leftover_crack]

FYI the panhandle area of florida has a HUGE amount of republicans and is in a different time zone. Alot of people were incredibly angry and the media kind of blew them off, instead focusing on the idiots who couldnt figure out how to punch a key hole in.

[JCG]

Technically, the U.S. is just the most powerful, not really the "best" country.

Besides, "best" is a highly subjective term...

[johncmcleod]

As I said in the starter, Americans are no better than Euros, Chinese, or any other race. We're all the same. I'm just talking about the country though. Sweden is a democracy, yes. But when we became independent and became a democracy, they pretty much got it from us.

And whoever said CdA is the capital of white supremacy, never say that to someone that lives there. I know it wasn't meant as an insult, but it sure would insult anyone from that town. The Aryans have made three or four marches about 6 blocks from my house. And guess what? They got egged (I condemn their actions, but it shows what people think of them). Everytime there's one of those marches, do you know how many peace rallies were going on? Like one in every city within 50 miles. We're not supremacists, there's just about 20 people affiliated with Butler who live near us and give us all a bad name. It's very sad, because there are hardly any African-Americans where I live because they're scared to come here.

I'm not a little kid, also. In two and three fourths of a year I'll become legally an adult. Yes, though I'm about the average hight for a 15 year old, I do look like I'm 11, but that doesn't make me dumber than you guys. I'm taking honors Algebra 2 in my freshmen year.

Mainly what I'm saying is the US is the most powerful and influential country in the world now. I'm saying it mostly because someone in a thread wrote that the US wasn't the best country in the world or even the second best. Yes, I know best is a subjective term, but I just couldn't think of how else to sum it up in one word. And chill out, this thread isn't that big of a deal. I think some people are getting a little concerned.

About the story of the name of CdA. We learned and relearned it in fourth grade 20 times, but I kind of forgot it. Anyway, some French traders went up to what is now CdA. They ripped off a bunch of the indians. The indians said, "They have the heart of an awl (for those of you that don't know, an awl is a sharp tipped tool), and the French translated it, and they called the tribe of indians the Coeur d'Alene indians. I'm not sure if the town was named after the indians or just for that story, though.

[Roland]

"Our constitution has been going strong for 226 years. The only other major democracies before us was Greece and Rome."

Amazing how you can put so many historical errors into two short sentences.

[Dom Pedro II]

Yeah, first of all, the Constitution has only been "going strong" for 215 years... You're counting from 1776, but the Constitution was written in 1787. And whether it has been going strong or not is largely a matter of opinion. I personally think its near the point of "scrap of paper" as far as our politicians are concerned.

And England, the Netherlands, and not to mention many of the native tribes Americans so diligently exterminated also had democratic governments before the arrival of the United States.

[Clear Skies]

Originally posted by johncmcleod
As I said in the starter, Americans are no better than Euros, Chinese, or any other race. We're all the same. I'm just talking about the country though. Sweden is a democracy, yes. But when we became independent and became a democracy, they pretty much got it from us.

Are we giving out prizes for Most Unresearched Opinion?

Swedish History:

From http://www.lysator.liu.se/nordic/scn/faq735.html

1718-72 the so called Age of Freedom
Political power shifts from the king to the Estates. (With the new constitution the incorporation of Scania and other conquered provinces is completed.) A two-party system develops and Arvid Horn, a Finnish noble man and one of King Karl XII's best militaries and administrators, became the most well-known Prime Minister, totally outshining the King Fredrik I who actually came on the throne as the consort of the abdicated queen.
During the period 1720-1738 Arvid Horn pilots Sweden between Russian and French conflicts, but resigns finally accused for weakness and exaggerated fear for wars. His party gets the nickname the "Nightcaps" opposed by the pride "Hats."

Therefore I conclude....Swedish democracy was in place before America's! Democratic elections were taking place years before the Declaration of Independence.
So retract that statement now.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Vlad Antlerkov
Eliminating it causes another problem-- the urban vote swamps the rural vote, making the rural states irrelevant. (IIRC, the Boston metro area has more people than the rest of New England.)

IMHO, I'd suggest that each state have its EC votes cut by 1.

If you don't abolish it though, it means some people are more equal than others, which flies in the face of democracy.

[ZoboZeWarrior]

USA the best country ?







Good for you !

[TheStinger]

Originally posted by Dom Pedro II
Yeah, first of all, the Constitution has only been "going strong" for 215 years... You're counting from 1776, but the Constitution was written in 1787. And whether it has been going strong or not is largely a matter of opinion. I personally think its near the point of "scrap of paper" as far as our politicians are concerned.

And England, the Netherlands, and not to mention many of the native tribes Americans so diligently exterminated also had democratic governments before the arrival of the United States.

As much as I like to stick up for my own country, England was not a democratic country until the late 19th centruy and even then there were some restrictions on who could vote. We had a constitutional monarchy at the time of the American revolution, but those who could vote for members of parliament were very limited. IIRC around 15-20%(men only)

[Roland]

US in 1789 had no voting rights for slaves, women, native americans, and in several if not most states still a census (real estate ownership, tax payment etc) requirement.

[The Pioneer]

Isn't Switzerland the longset living democracy?

No insult here but the Constitution, although a great great revolutionary document it left a big chunk of the population out in its interpretetion, namely the blacks. That lead to the Civil War which took around half a million lifes IIRC. As for the States being the greatest country , I say when you grow up a bit and live in three or four countries and visit a few more you will realize that there is no perfect country.


So long...

[Roland]

Switzerland was a very lose confederation until 1848 (not counting the Helvetian republic and the mediation act). As for the Cantons, most were aristocratic city republics that ruled the surrounding areas until the 1830s/40s. Only the initial pesant republics could count as democratic, Schwyz, Waldstätte, Uri, and I think Zug and Glarus.

[Adalbertus]

Only the initial pesant republics could count as democratic, Schwyz, Waldstätte, Uri, and I think Zug and Glarus.

IIRC, they had (or even have) a "perfect" direct and equal democracy ... for men only. While all men had equal rights, women weren't allowed to vote (It changed only in the 20th century (I think in the seventies). But the direct democracy was only feasible because the communities were rather small, I think these states had never more than 10000 inhabitants each pre-19th century.