The Newsroom swept the nation in 2012 by opening with a accurate and truthful statement regarding how America is no longer the greatest country in the world.

Nothing has changed, for it still holds true to this day:

https://youtu.be/ZPHSXUS0_1c

In response the the title - when was it ever?

It always was a normal country with normal flaws since it's been inhabited by people and not some master race. It's only the Mohammed Ali narrative hammered into the heads of every school kid that made it look like the greatest in many people's minds.

We could always settle this at twenty paces...but...remember, americans can't count, so I might get to twenty before you do......

America -is- the greatest.  We enrich your very cultures by our sheer existence, and there has never been a more benevolent superpower - and that's including all of our most egregious missteps..nor has there ever been a country -with- our power in the first place.

Yall wish you knew how to quit us. I know, I know, people can make the case that we aren;t the greatest by reference to the least of us, while quietly ignoring that the least of us are enough to crush the -rest- of you....and yet we don't. Hand some of your own dipshits a -fraction- of the power that our dipshits have and see how that turns out. Never mind, we already -have- seen how that turns out. The rest of the west had it;s shot, and they fucked the pooch. American hegemony has seen the greatest advance in the quality of life globally since the beginning of recorded time and we've been at the forefront of all of it. Maybe, maybe our glory days are over. That would be sad, and not just for us......but we still shine more brightly even as we recede and make way for someone, or something, else.

(November 10, 2016 at 1:24 pm)Maelstrom Wrote: The Newsroom swept the nation in 2012 by opening with a accurate and truthful statement regarding how America is no longer the greatest country in the world.

Nothing has changed, for it still holds true to this day:

https://youtu.be/ZPHSXUS0_1c

I agree that is is not the Greatest Country (And I love most of his speech), but the idea that it ever used to be is also why we have Trump.  
We need to stop with this nostalgic idea of going back to when we were "great", and move forward and be better than we ever were before.

Course, that idea's probably out the window now too.  We'll have to settle for not burning ourselves to the ground.

(November 10, 2016 at 1:43 pm)Rhythm Wrote: We could always settle this at twenty paces...but...remember, americans can't count, so I might get to twenty before you do......

America -is- the greatest.  We enrich your very cultures by our sheer existence, and there has never been a more benevolent superpower - and that's including all of our most egregious missteps..nor has there ever been a country -with- our power in the first place.

Yall wish you knew how to quit us. I know, I know, people can make the case that we aren;t the greatest by reference to the least of us, while quietly ignoring that the least of us are enough to crush the -rest- of you....and yet we don't. Hand some of your own dipshits a -fraction- of the power that our dipshits have and see how that turns out. Never mind, we already -have- seen how that turns out. The rest of the west had it;s shot, and they fucked the pooch. American hegemony has seen the greatest advance in the quality of life globally since the beginning of recorded time and we've been at the forefront of all of it. Maybe, maybe our glory days are over. That would be sad, and not just for us......but we still shine more brightly even as we recede and make way for someone, or something, else.

Tell it like it is!!!

(November 10, 2016 at 1:34 pm)abaris Wrote: In response the the title - when was it ever?

It always was a normal country with normal flaws since it's been inhabited by people and not some master race. It's only the Mohammed Ali narrative hammered into the heads of every school kid that made it look like the greatest in many people's minds.

It depends how you define normal.

The USA is definitely above average as a country in terms of economy size, education, life span.

Talking about which country is the greatest or what a normal country is pretty vague though.  I wouldn't say America is the greatest I'd say it's an objectively good country in terms of tangible things you can actually measure though.

(November 10, 2016 at 1:43 pm)Rhythm Wrote: We could always settle this at twenty paces...but...remember, americans can't count, so I might get to twenty before you do......

America -is- the greatest.  We enrich your very cultures by our sheer existence, and there has never been a more benevolent superpower - and that's including all of our most egregious missteps..nor has there ever been a country -with- our power in the first place.

Yall wish you knew how to quit us.  I know, I know, people can make the case that we aren;t the greatest by reference to the least of us, while quietly ignoring that the least of us are enough to crush the -rest- of you....and yet we don't.  Hand some of your own dipshits a -fraction- of the power that our dipshits have and see how that turns out.  Never mind, we already -have- seen how that turns out.  The rest of the west had it;s shot, and they fucked the pooch.  American hegemony has seen the greatest advance in the quality of life globally since the beginning of recorded time and we've been at the forefront of all of it.  Maybe, maybe our glory days are over.  That would be sad, and not just for us......but we still shine more brightly even as we recede and make way for someone, or something, else.

Why do I always get the impression you're rubbing one out while going on these tirades?  As a world guy just passing through Podunk I don't see what gets you so excited.

(November 10, 2016 at 2:40 pm)PETE_ROSE Wrote:

(November 10, 2016 at 1:43 pm)Rhythm Wrote: We could always settle this at twenty paces...but...remember, americans can't count, so I might get to twenty before you do......

America -is- the greatest.  We enrich your very cultures by our sheer existence, and there has never been a more benevolent superpower - and that's including all of our most egregious missteps..nor has there ever been a country -with- our power in the first place.

Yall wish you knew how to quit us.  I know, I know, people can make the case that we aren;t the greatest by reference to the least of us, while quietly ignoring that the least of us are enough to crush the -rest- of you....and yet we don't.  Hand some of your own dipshits a -fraction- of the power that our dipshits have and see how that turns out.  Never mind, we already -have- seen how that turns out.  The rest of the west had it;s shot, and they fucked the pooch.  American hegemony has seen the greatest advance in the quality of life globally since the beginning of recorded time and we've been at the forefront of all of it.  Maybe, maybe our glory days are over.  That would be sad, and not just for us......but we still shine more brightly even as we recede and make way for someone, or something, else.

Tell it like it is!!!

Geez, now you're providing porn for the rest of them.  Maybe you should run for office, hold some massive circle-jerk rallies?

(November 10, 2016 at 2:46 pm)paulpablo Wrote: The USA is definitely above average as a country in terms of economy size, education, life span.

Economic size, yes.

Education and life expectancy, no. Not compared to the Western world.

(November 10, 2016 at 2:49 pm)abaris Wrote:

(November 10, 2016 at 2:46 pm)paulpablo Wrote: The USA is definitely above average as a country in terms of economy size, education, life span.

Economic size, yes.

Education and life expectancy, no. Not compared to the Western world.

What are you talking about?  We have the best medical system money can buy. (Not that I can afford to buy much of it.)