What do you think about the USA as a country? (Society and Government)?
968884
Oh boy, You done fudged up now.\n\nI have been preaching to all my friends and families for many a sintary about the gov and poloitics.\n\nfirst off, who the fudge packer thinks they are perfect enough to run a whole freaking country.\nand who does the gov think they are.\n\nHow does one team of people have all the power over a whole freaking nation btw.\n\nSorry, Im gonna have to stop before they kik this answer off.\nlol Politics, B*&^ $*!*
1095495
Every country has the government and political system it deserves. That includes the electoral rules and systems.\n\nSo if things are not right (and I agree that they are not right), the people will have to act accordingly.\n\nNo country can be ruled or controlled against the will of the people. However, if the people are too dumb, ignorant or lazy to care for their own future, you get a country like the USA.\n\nThose who don't care will be taken care of.
590706
I don't think its Americans.  Its our government. I'd say the majority of Americans want to take care of our own.  But our government seems to have other ideas.  Should we say they are un-American?  I feel ya.
492517
I would defend this country with the last drop of my blood. If it were up to me I would still be in the military helping to keep this country safe.\n\nLove it or hate it, this country of ours is still hands down the best on the planet. We have freedoms that most people around the world have only heard of. We have so many advantages that people take for granted, it is amazing.\n\nI love our country!!
1030261
I, as a person who voted Republican in the last two elections, dislike big government. I don't believe the federal government should have the right to tell me how to live my life. To touch on the examples you gave:\n\nGay-marriage is an oxymoron. I'm not religious, but the institution of marriage is, and it is because of the Bible that I will opt for a civil ceremony. Why would homosexuals want to be apart of an institution that says their lives are wrong? \n\nThere is no doubt that American popular culture has an affect on society. I think that there are other ways to handle the situation, other than handing out astronomical finds. \n\nDuring wartime, I believe it is the right of every citizen to give up some civil liberties in the cause of national security. I feel safer knowing that our government is out there listening to known and suspected terrorists.\n\nMy problems with big government are more to do on a social level. I don't think there needs to be so many different agencies involved in Americans' lives. It seems like every time a I have to interact with the government, it is always another departments problem. Be it between social services, courts, DOT, DMV... The huge bureaucracy has become a drain on our society, and I for one think a major reform is due.
308185
A representative government has proven itself to be the best form of government.  No arguing that.  The US also has capitalism going for it.
1124198
Sorry we are overcrowded now.\n\nSorry-America;\n\n  There is a lot to see here. Many luxuries. Our Cities are stunning. All kinds of people of all races, nationalities, religions cultures. And it is not hard to be friendly.\n  Down side-Political up heaving, crooked government, Our Services Schools and Medical and State funding is in trouble. Our legal system is in trouble--the Justice system are not taking the bad element off the street. But with so many people who notices it.\n If you to come-enjoy but be careful.\n And yes we are overcrowded.
993284
America is not a race, we are all races, We are a NATION!!! yes, we are also the world police, if not us , who else will? we have the budget to do it, so we do. \neverybody else has the philosophy of ignore it and it'll go away.... but if your country and government were overbearing and violently oppressive, you'd pray for us to come and help you and your family. as every other world country burries their heads in the sand, except maybe Britain! \nput the shoe on the other foot there.\nthe USA doesn't have a regime. there is a three tier legal system here of due process that prevents a unified regime.\nthere are temporary leaders to prevent the possibility of there ever being a dictatorship or monarchy. we are a free nation governed by a body politic elected for a temporary term, by the people themselves!\n\nwe ARE the greatest!!! \nwe were born free and we will die free!\neven freedom has rules. freedom on the scale of billions of free people needs rules to live in a cohesively coexistent manner. \n\ndon't mistake order for a regime. if most people had it their own way, this country would be anarchy and the criminals would run it all. i for one am grateful that america is the way it is... i have the right to shoot somebody if they break into my house. i have the ability to call the police when i need them and i live peacefully free of them when i dont. i happily pay my taxes, and am grateful for all the benefits that my taxes provide to myself and everybody else. I happily abide by the few simple rules that the judiciary system has seen fit to bestow.\nthese "rules" are simply common sense anyway. i fail to see how living by them is so difficult for any intelligent being. you get most of the complaint from the ill educated, the criminal, and the anarchist. if they had their way, this would be a government of "do as you will", run by idiots, for idiots. the common and decent people wouldn't have a rock to hide under because they'd have all been stolen already.\n\nnobody thinks through their criticisms to every conceivable consequence. this system is in place for a reason, it works! it hasn't been overthrown for a reason, it works! \nthe only ones that gripe about the laws are the ones that want to break them. there is a simple solution, if you want to live in a lawless place, find one and move there.
653218
If you're asking if America is a democratic nation, then the answer is yes.\n\nThe United States of America is actually a democratic republic.  It is a democracy, in the fact that there is direct election of representatives.  However, these representatives are the ones that actually make the decisions, the ones that make the laws (hence the Republic).  \n\nA republic is a form of government that has a special "class" or elect that make the governmental decisions (laws, etc) that govern the nation.  In our case, the elect are the representatives and senators at the federal level, as well as your local representatives (state, local) that make the decisions.  \n\nBecause these members are elected, then we have a democracy as well.  However, a true democracy would require the votes of everyone on every issue (direct democracy).  It would be a little bit tough with a population of 300 million.
823005
The thing that disturbs me the most, is that the government can say things like "Liberty, Freedom, Democracy"...and the american public actually believes it.\n\nAs people living in North America, sure comparatively we have a huge amount of freedom - but a lot of that material freedom depends on the resources of so many countries.\n\nThe standard of living that we enjoy doesn't come from nowhere, so in that sense, from that perspective we are not totally free. So when the U.S. goes to war to protect its interest, and uses the words like freedom, liberty, democracy - they aren't totally lying, nor are they totally telling the truth.\n\nGetting a bit philosophical here, but i think the as people living in industrial nations, we have to reduce our dependency at home, so that words like freedom and liberty actually have some relevance.
401841
This is an unfortunate question. The USA is a country of opportunity and freedom. It may not be 'perfect' and our situation with the War in Iraq has cost us some allies however, compare us to Ethiopia, Haiti, or countries in the middle east and we have more freedom and more opportunity than any of them. Our government affords us the lifestyles we choose and the political freedom to voice our opinions.
69573
So I've lived in 4 countries - England, Ireland, Switzerland and the USA. From those 4 it would have to be Switzerland.\n\nWhy? - More advanced democratic model, the government works; High quality of life; Good and safe place to bring up a family; Low Tax; Low unemployment; High disposable income; Beautiful; Great Skiing; Diversity; Central location in Europe.\n\nWhy not Ireland and England? For me this is home, and there is so much that is right here, especially culturally, but the rain and high tax are the big issues.\n\nWhy not USA? Again a lot that is good and it is my current home, but high Tax; poor family life quality; absence of real culture; broken government system and education system would not allow it to make the top.
816815
The US is a strong, prosperous country. If the desire was there to take ove the world as other countries have throughout time, it could potentially be done. The thing is - the desire isn't there. The US runs on the principles of democracy, free enterprise, and freedoms. If the US took over the world, it would become either a totalitarian society or a dictatorship, two things we have looked down upon for decades. The United States is already one of the most prosperous countries in the world, one which believes in free enterprise [having a rich, poor, and middle class - much like a social hierarchy]. If the US was so determined to become the most wealthy country in society, it would go against its principles [which date back to the Declaration of Independence] of free enterprise. \n\nThe mear thought is silly, my dear. Silly.
270636
I am a United States citizen, I have traveled into Canada on many occasion and I really like their people, they lead the way as far as health care and social networking things but that is because they have not had to build a war machine. I wish that our government was more like theirs but the United States leads in so many other ways I would have to vote for us.
544650
America is a very powerful nation.  Power is the ability to coerce people to do things they otherwise wouldn't do - and that tends to make people upset.  America is also a very wealthy nation - and wealth generates envy and resentment.  So yes - I'd say America is not widely loved.  So what of it ?  Wealth and power come at a price - are you willing to give those things up just to make people like you ?
264555
I agree about our Constitution.  This nation was the first nation in the modern world where it was openly acknowledged that no one possesses perfect foresight, so our body of laws had to be flexible enough to accommodate future Americans and their future issues, but solid enough and based upon firm enough principles that they would not be changed on a whim.  The principles upon which our system was founded were (and are) so cutting edge that they have become a model for many countries where liberty and equality are at issue.  Under the ideals upon which this country was founded, it is easy to see why we are held up as the model against which other countries measure themselves.  However, the ideal and the reality sometimes are just far enough apart to reflect duplicity to those looking for c hinks in our collective armor.  Suffice it to say that ours is the most effective system operating for most intents and purposes, inconsistencies notwithstanding.
550786
how do you compare the lifestyle of today to your time period? \nwhat is your view on todays goverment compared to your time period?\ngas and economy?\nrace?\nwar?\nemployment?\nworld affairs?