Right on the money.  I look at my kids after spending a day with the news and posts on this forum and absolutely marvel how such a gift from God has been allowed to be squandered and wasted as we have done with this country in the last 40 years.  When I was, oh, 12 or 13, I remember looking at my conservative and work oriented parents, and then looking at the members of the "hippie" generation, and thinking to myself "gee, I wonder what it will be like when the hippies are old enough to run the country?"  Now we know.  Not only have we just endured two terms of the lowest class scum ball to ever tarnish the White House, [i][b]we have an entire two generations of politicians, media personnel, and reprogrammed boomers who tolerate, even condone it!![/i][/b].  I used to think that a national calamity such as war or ecnonomic setback might give pause and cause a sort national re-estimation of what we're pissing away, but I really think its too late.

After I finish this Cuervo, I'll tell everybody how I really feel.

the shooter [sniper]

The main problem with this is that there is nothing to replace the US. Right now, everything is worse.

China and the Far East have some serious cultural problems to overcome if they are to replace the US. The crony capitalism of Japan and the rest of the asian "capitalist" nations simply can't compete. They have to learn about individual rights and free markets if they are to ever amount to anything.

The best bet is that the US slowly "falls", with nothing to replace it. Possibly the Far East will adopt some limited free market ideas, and close the gap (but replace us--it will be a long time before anything like that will happen). Latin America is another possible area where free markets could rise up and show serious progress, but they also have some bad cultural ideas to overcome.

Europe has basically shot its wad. They worship socialism too much to amount to anything anytime soon.

I always hear how educated the Cuban people are under Castro. I guess it all depends what [i]educated[/i] means.



We are a [i]Constitutional republic[/i]. Our system makes it much more difficult for our government to do things for us--and [i]to us[/i].  



Oh. How do Scandinavians have more say in their government? Not through money, you say? By what means, voting?



In fact, I get to choose how much my health insurance costs, and I also get to choose the school my child goes to.

You have a stagnet economy for a reason. High taxes and government regulation.



Taxation is [i]forced[/i].



Most of the US has a very high standard of living, and very low crime. We have large cities with large populations of people who have not fully integrated to our society. If they moved to Scandanavia, they would cause even greater problems, as you are much less equiped to handle them.

That is to say, we pay a price for both the slave trade of the past, and the large waves of immigration to our country. Problems you do not have to face, at least not on a scale like we do.

You can keep your parliamentary democracies, I'm happy with our constitutional republic.

One thing though, our taxes have gone towards your defense. Something you could not have secured without outside aid.

EU, NATO, UN to name a few are all working towards that end. Not if but when.