Why do Americans think they are powerful in 2017?

[Omega10]

You're pretty anti-American, that much is clear. Good for you. Arguing with someone with this bad of a bias is silly though. Have a good night man.

I understand your distress about what he is saying, but he is pretty accurate when he says mainstream America treats blacks being treated cruelly differently than when white people get treated cruelly.

[Laerrus]

One constant that never changes in this world, money equals power, so...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millio...es_per_country

This is why the US is still powerful, despite our rapidly shrinking middle class, our republic is still very wealthy.

As far as the people that inhabit our country, the current generations are some of the most selfish and arrogant that we've seen in nearly a hundred years, but it is like this all over the world. Just look at what all the 90 year-olds are saying about things.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/...-a7932276.html

Get ready for another major reset, we are heading for a major world war.

[INVASMANIXOXOXO]

I feel like we need a America bashing sub forum like they made for politics (actually serious), but I don't know if it would help it seems like half the threads turn into EU vs NA in some way or the other. Food threads turn into eu vs na gmos, obesity etc... rest of the time it usually morphs into liberal vs conservative which then morphs into "conservative in EU is liberal in US"... and then we are back at na vs eu.

[Klingers]

I guess I will get hate from Americans here, but from facts and figures from 2017 America is in a bad place.


Economy is bad, China will be the best economic power in decades to come
Military wise, third world countries have more men power that could serve in a war.
Politics are unstable. Sure, every country has unstable politics, but in America LAND OF THE FREE?
Racial tensions are up high. Not surprise there, but an educated country would not different, no?


I am trying to stay away from 'oh he is just bashing US".

But please stop saying its still a powerful country.

Said as an Australian: America's real strength, something not even China or Russia can match in real terms, is strength projection.

They have bases all over the world. They have entire carrier groups in the world's oceans and they have hundreds of thousands of troops deployed overseas.

Imagine from an American perspective if Russia had military bases in Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico and Canada. That's roughly how China and Russia probably feel.

[Zeta333]

So it never occurred to any one that a caustic, toxic substance which was known to vaporize organic matter might have harmful effects on humans? That just defies the most basic common sense. It would not stand up in any non-partisan court: it would be like claiming that you didn't know giving your children weedkiller to drink was harmful.

I'd go with the "we did because we were evil" explanation if I were you, because if that is true then the level of incompetence in the US military is staggering.

They pushed the substance out without much testing as a fast way to clear the foliage. They didnt do studies, they didnt do testing, they didnt do animal trials. It was a different world for almost every country on earth back then. You can say they shouldof couldof wouldof but thing is shit didnt work the same back then as it does today.

[Kellhound]

No of course not, but in the past couple of years the way the world has become you have to admit it has become one of the more important measures.

I'm not saying Mexico is a perfect place, or even near the top 10, but there's something disgustingly ignorant about several Americans holding their noses up at Mexico as if it was the wild west here, when it reality the US is (seemingly) getting shot up every week now a days.

I'm a white male. I was born and raised an American. I served 5 years in the military with 2 years in Iraq. You don't get much more of a ''good ole' boy' than that. I moved to Mexico 2 years ago to live with my wife and what I thought of Mexico and what I found were two completely different things. It's nothing down here like most of you think I imagine.

The most dangerous thing I've found here so far is how Mexicans drive. Cuz ffs they are frothing animals on the road.

It all depends on where you live, but the statistics are quite clear it is far more dangerous to live in Mexico as a whole than in the US as a whole.

[Kellhound]

http://www.nationmaster.com/country-...d-States/Crime

Not as much as you may think

There are context clues in the numbers if you care to read closely. Overall crime rates are about equal, with Americans being a LOT more fearful of crime than Mexicans. But in Mexico the homicide rate is crazy high compared to the US. How to explain this? There are huge cartel 'turf wars' if you will that happen almost constantly in the country. Dealers killing dealers, gangs shooting up other gang's hangouts, that kinda shit. So, disregarding all the cartel vs cartel shenanigans, now Mexicans crime rate is a helluva lot lower than the US, with murder rate prolly being similar-ish (idk how that number would play out tbh).

What does this mean for the average Joe? Don't fkin' live near the damn Cartels. Live, for example, on a border town with the US. Now enjoy all the perks of US security, for the most part, without the random-ass mass shootings. AND did I mention you live like a king? lol

Every Mexican I know avoids large swaths of the country for safety reasons, but only select neighborhoods in the US. They also wouldn't bother reporting a crime to the Mexican police, which throws the numbers you are leaning on out the window.

The border region is the shithole of the country, I lived on the border. I wouldnt live there unless I had enough money to bribe the criminals and the police (even when they are not the same people) and had my own security detail...

[Deleted]

You're pretty anti-American, that much is clear. Good for you. Arguing with someone with this bad of a bias is silly though. Have a good night man.

Yeah, and I suppose criticism of the holocaust makes you anti-German. That's how fucking stupid your argument is.

[Deleted]

As a non-american, I can't really tell on how living in the US is like.

But honestly, the US has seen a crack in authority in the last year. For obvious reasons. Not only is your president seen as incompetent, but also as plain stupid and unfit to exerce the seat he's in. Furthermore his ignorance, selfishness and acts out of spite took their toll on outside politics.

As for people and science: while you have some of the most influential science centers, universities/institutes and research labs in every discipline, your broad population is not well educated. Moreso, having stuff like creationism being taught in schools is ridiculous.
Languages aren't your forte too. I mean, even your mother tongue is violated in the most brutal way by some people.

Stubborn beliefs and denial aren't beneficial either...

The american dream is preached and praised, yet, when it comes to detail, living there seems to be hell if you're not wealthy. Things you do with your food are questionable too...^^

The things I despise the most are the two things slowly but steadily reaching europe too: political blocks out of sheer spite instead of working together in a constructive way and lobbyism. You may call this freedom, I call it just profitmongering.

[Doktor Faustus]

Power is intrinsically linked with cheese production capacity.

[Tierbook]

Power is intrinsically linked with cheese production capacity.

Good to know the US produces 5.4 million tons per year of Cheese, #2 produces 2.2mil cheese and is germany

[Taso]

Why does the rest of the world get to dictate what we do? If we don’t want free college or healthcare then we don’t want it why do we have to be forced into it? Why does the rest of the world insist on higher taxes when history shows it will cause massive riots? If we want lower taxes we want it.

[Rootkitt]

Why does the rest of the world get to dictate what we do? If we don’t want free college or healthcare then we don’t want it why do we have to be forced into it? Why does the rest of the world insist on higher taxes when history shows it will cause massive riots? If we want lower taxes we want it.

The problem with your statement is that polls show that most of the US do want universal healthcare and a better college payment system.

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The things I despise the most are the two things slowly but steadily reaching europe too: political blocks out of sheer spite instead of working together in a constructive way and lobbyism. You may call this freedom, I call it just profitmongering.

You think those came FROM the US TO Europe? I think you need to go check out some history books.

[Toogoodman]

I don't know which border towns you lived in, but all I can tell you is that the entirety of my experience in Mexico and all my travels throughout it thus far makes me want to roll my eyes at your statement.

You don't go looking for trouble and trouble won't come looking for you. But we have severely derailed off this thread hehe, so let's just agree to disagree. Night.

I lived in El Paso for 3 years, and let me tell you, Juarez is not exactly friendly. At least a dozen times, the news reported that AK47 rounds were shot at the retention wall for UTEP (University of Texas El Paso) from the other side of the border. Juarez, at the time i lived in El Paso, had the highest murder rate in the entire world, and a lot of border towns experience the same exact thing. Even Cancun is starting to become extremely dangerous due to the "turf wars", which have a ton of collateral damage.

[Deleted]

Why does the rest of the world get to dictate what we do? If we don’t want free college or healthcare then we don’t want it why do we have to be forced into it? Why does the rest of the world insist on higher taxes when history shows it will cause massive riots? If we want lower taxes we want it.

Fine. Do what the fuck you like.

However you will:

a) Need to stop lecturing the rest of the world about how to run healthcare systems. There was a lot of criticism of the NHS in Britain and the Canadian system during the Obama years. At that point you become fair game, and it is perfectly correct to point out what a gigantic brutal failure and waste of money your system is. Before then most people outside the US didn't comment on the issue.

b) Stop your multinationals lobbying foreign governments and attempting to privatize other countries health systems. US healthcare has no business being anywhere but the US.

[Beazy]

El Paso/Juarez is a TERRIBLE spot to live. It's one of those Cartel spots I was talking about earlier. I've avoided most of Texas' border thus far for that very reason you describe. I'm currently in Mexicali.

When I was younger, I went to Juarez, much younger. Its the only place Ive ever seen a knife fight like in the movies. No one died, but blood was everywhere, like the first Blade movie opening scene. And you couldnt beat 10 cents a shot tequila!!!! Get hammered for like 3 dollars with all your friends and watch bloody knife fights to the DEATH!!

Good times.

[Independent voter]

The american dream is preached and praised, yet, when it comes to detail, living there seems to be hell if you're not wealthy. Things you do with your food are questionable too...^^

80 percent of poor households have air conditioning. In 1970, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning.

92 percent of poor households have a microwave.

Nearly three-fourths have a car or truck, and 31 percent have two or more cars or trucks.

Nearly two-thirds have cable or satellite TV.

Two-thirds have at least one DVD player, and 70 percent have a VCR.

Half have a personal computer, and one in seven have two or more computers.

More than half of poor families with children have a video game system, such as an Xbox or PlayStation.

43 percent have Internet access.

One-third have a wide-screen plasma or LCD TV.

One-fourth have a digital video recorder system, such as a TiVo.

96 percent of poor parents stated that their children were never hungry at any time during the year because they could not afford food.

83 percent of poor families reported having enough food to eat.

82 percent of poor adults reported never being hungry at any time in the prior year due to lack of money for food.

Over the course of a year, 4 percent of poor persons become temporarily homeless.

Only 9.5 percent of the poor live in mobile homes or trailers, 49.5 percent live in separate single-family houses or townhouses, and 40 percent live in apartments.

42 percent of poor households actually own their own homes.

Only 6 percent of poor households are overcrowded. More than two-thirds have more than two rooms per person.

The average poor American has more living space than the typical non-poor person in Sweden, France, or the United Kingdom.

The vast majority of the homes or apartments of the poor are in good repair.

http://www.heritage.org/poverty-and-...ng-facts-about

[Thrive]

I understand your distress about what he is saying, but he is pretty accurate when he says mainstream America treats blacks being treated cruelly differently than when white people get treated cruelly.

Not when he compares it to the holocaust lol. I'm open to discussion, but he's ridiculous. I don't want to waste my life being angry with angry people.

[Pony Soldier]

We may not be the most powerful but we are a powerful country and saying we're not a powerful country IS nation bashing. The fact that you sat there and came up with the idea of creating a thread talking about how the US isn't a powerful country and shaming people who believe it is just shows that you are just nation bashing. GTFO.

[INVASMANIXOXOXO]

We may not be the most powerful but we are a powerful country and saying we're not a powerful country IS nation bashing. The fact that you sat there and came up with the idea of creating a thread talking about how the US isn't a powerful country and shaming people who believe it is just shows that you are just nation bashing. GTFO.

But we are the most powerful... but I don't really care if we are... China has 4 times as many people its almost inevitable that they will become as powerful or slightly more... but guess what, I don't care. What I do care about is about maintaining the American standard of living. Lets forget the fact that China is very dependent on trade with the US and we go super cold war with them and they become the big boy in town in 2075 2100 or what the hell ever... do you think they will ever be able to blockade the US or invade it even in 2100 (This is also forgetting the fact that the US/Indian Population is probably still growing at this point and China is stagnant based on projections)? Yeah maybe they can take over/remove S Korea and Japan as trading partners/allies in 2100, but how do you think the people of those 2 countries would take that let alone the EU which despite all the posters on this forums I believe is firmly team USA. The mental gymnastics to play devil's advocate in this question is ridiculous.

Worst case scenario 2100 rolls around and USA is #2 or #3 in power to China/EU... but again who cares those entities are like 3 times our population or more it would be pretty narcissistic/nazi germanyesque to think we can have more influence than entities 3-4 times our size forever. We should follow the footsteps of the British (minus brexit) for the next couple centuries... not top dog but up there and our average citizen still lives like a king compared to most people around the world.