"america is still the greatest country to live in," so said my friend last

[flordehinojos]

night.

i see america fast becoming a police state along with all the awful repressive stuff that goes along with a police state.

yes, americans have washers and dryers--good medical care is tending to become more of a myth now, with HMOs covering less and less for medical care, premiums increasing, cost of houses rising so far out of the working man's pocket ...

no. we are not yet living in mud huts, nor are a majority of americans going barefoot or without clothes..

but we do have a lying, conniving thief in the white house, power and greed have taken precedent over honesty and integrity.

lies and spin rule the day.

is my friend right? Seeing the dismantling of America, I tend not to agree with my friend. am i wrong?

in this america where left is right and up is down ... i don't know anymore what is what.

[acmejack]

1. You are right, your friend is deluding him/herself

America is a falling empire. I foresee the time when Wolfie will be visiting us and imposing the type of regimen the IMF just slapped on Zimbabwe.

All aboard for the third world express!

[Skidmore]

2. And * will go down in history as the person who drowned the nation in the

tub.

[Sgent]

3. Today

Of English speaking countries.

I would say probably Australia or New Zeland.

6 months ago and I would have said UK, but recent issues have changed my mind on that.

For non-english speaking, France & Germany both have a lot of problems, but some of the Scandanavian(sp) countries are good places. Switzerland might also fit.

[BlueEyedSon]

4. yeah we're the best.... NOT! Statistics:

# 42 in infant survivability (i.e. opposite of infant mortality)
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2091rank.html

#48 in life expectancy
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2102rank.html

#46 in literacy
http://www.mrdowling.com/800literacy.html

[Obamarama]

5. If it's so great why am I looking to get the hell OUT of here???

While I am only 1st generation American on my mom's side, I am descended on my father's side from ancestors who first stepped foot in this country in 1636 - before it WAS a country.

My colonial ancestors came here when they could no longer live under what they saw was an unpalatable regime. My mother came with her family to the US when Nazism threatened to do them in.

They fled their homelands when it became too much to tolerate. Why should I be any different? This country has devolved so far away from what was once good and right it sickens me. On top of that, we live among a populace that either doesn't get it or doesn't care.

I think your friend is off his/her fucking rocker.

[screembloodymurder]

6. US is not the greatest, but we're better than most.

Problem is where we're headed.

[Deja Q]

7. We still have quite a few things others don't. But that having been said,

yeah, things ARE changing. And not for the better.

I only hope I don't die before I get my debts paid. (I've worked so hard and I could have taken the easy way out 3 years ago when my debt load was 3x worse. Still, it's only money. Creation of Satan itself.

[Kipling]

8. Nothing comes close to Sweden, assholes!

[Swamp Rat]

9. Não sabe nada!

Where ELSE has this person lived? I could give a litany of "better places" to live for a variety of reasons (I've lived in Europe, Central and South America). The main reason I stay is to defeat fascism from within. :patriot:

[Poppyseedman]

10. "i see america fast becoming a police state"

I think you need to put your glasses on.

Bush and company may be the worst thing to occupy the "peoples house" in a long time, but we are so far from a police state in it's true sense, your statement is a little silly.

That fact that Cindy Sheehan can stand on the road to "buttwipe" ranch unafraid to speak her mind and not be arrested, beaten, harassed, removed and even openly supported by the media and people shows we are nowhere near a police state.

Try that in 90% of the rest of the world and you will know a police state.

[unrepuke]

11. NOT living in mud huts? Take a drive through Georgia sometime

you'll see people who'd love to inherit a mud hut, or a cardboard refrigerator box, or another piece of corrugated tin. Of course, they aren't reading DU on their laptops...

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

12. My boss nearly slugged a guy

who said this country was in wonderful shape with Bush in charge.

[lectrobyte]

13. America is a rich man's heaven, and a poor man's hell. Middle class?

forget about it.