The number one problem with America...

[samusaran253]

In my opinion, the biggest problem with the United States is that people no longer trust our government. The federal government has lost all of it's credibility, lies to the people, doesn't represent the people, and is far too powerful. Back in the 1700s and 1800s people trusted the government and the government didn't have all of these conspiracies they were performing against the American people. Our elected officials actually cared and were real people like you and me, not people like Obama or Bush or any of these clowns in Congress.

And to be honest, the people are partially responsible for this. Yes, it is important for the federal government to have some power, as to preserve the union, but we're hardly a union anymore, now we're just a single nation-state just like Russia or France. We're not a union or a confederation. People rely on the federal government for everything, instead of relying on their state governments.

The Constitution is a joke now, it's a wonderful document, but our own government only abides by it when it is convenient for them to do so. They have the CIA out there killing our own people simply because they "know too much," we have wiretapping and the Patriot Act. We have them keeping secrets from us and committing acts that are detrimental to the lives of Americans. We have horrible liberals who want to ban guns. We have abusive police forces and corrupt public officials who don't listen to the people. We need an honest government again, one that fully understands and respects the Constitution and that is by the people and for the people.

[TomPravetz]

I trust my government. I trust that my government is running my country to hell.

[Cojo the Monkey]

That's adorable, that you think our government was EVER honest.

[doodinthemood]

George Washington embezzled government funds. True story.

Also, after reading the title, I was really hoping for a "Americans are all fat and lazy" to watch the anger unfold.

[doodo!]

You can not ultimately define America is a singular thing, or a concept alone. So how can you say what the number one problem is in something with a infinite sea of variables, and different ways of viewing it? America isn't "America", it's a geographical region on a map.

Their are 10s of 1000s of businesses and leaders on varying levels in this country, things change, time changes, people change, the world changes. There is no America, only people living off a land and what was left behind. There is no "America".

"America" is a philosophy of land, a concept. My name is Brian, I live on a piece of land, and America, America(n) has little to do with who I am . It's all about who is currently in office, the current state of the world/ land...it has nothing to do with "America".

[Icedhope]

If their is any sort of flame war going on at any time in this thread it will be closed.

[Cojo the Monkey]

If their is any sort of flame war going on at any time in this thread it will be closed.

I don't foresee any well-reasoned discussion. The premise is too general.

[GaryCXJk]

I think the number one problem with America is the Whopper. It's so damn tasty.

[DAISHI]

I appreciate what you're saying, but never in the history of America have the American people trusted their government. At all points the states have contended with the federal government, which was partially how the states intended it to be. Off the top of my head, I can mention Shay's Rebelion of 1786, the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794, Gabriel's Rebeliion of 1800, Nat Turner's Rebellion of 1831, the widely known (obviously) Civil War which saw half the United States split apart.

At every corner the states have distrusted federal authority to properly supervise it. Andrew Jackson, as president, famously refused to obey the Supreme Court. Citizens of the early 20th century accused the government of manipulating circumstances to get the U.S. to enter both World War I and World War II. Citizens were famously cracked down upon during the witch hunts of the Communist trial.

In the 1700s Quakers resisted the government of Pennsylvania at every turn and tried to upend the government to their own desires. The United States' slaughter of indigenous people in the occupation of the Philippines drew attention to soldier's behavior in war in the exact same way that the Vietnam War would do a century later.

All that said, there has never been a rosy time in America.

[Harald B]

This is a strange position. If everyone in the US suddenly trusted government, that wouldn't make things a lot better. Not at all. Since taking it away would still leave a mess, how can the lack of trust be the most important problem?
If a government is unworthy of the people's trust, trusting it anyway will just encourage more trouble. Frankly I feel one should always be skeptical about governments (as well as other entities with great power).

[Secret Fawful]

In my opinion, America's worst problem is its educational system.

[Giant Tope]

Better education does lead to pretty much every other good thing.

[DAISHI]

In my opinion, America's worst problem is its educational system.

Although the death of the American educational system has been slightly exaggerated, we certainly do need to push at higher standards.

[doodo!]

It's America, we get a head and can be lazy at the same time...

[Cojo the Monkey]

My personal opinion? America's biggest problem is the lack of education in and concern with civil rights, made worse both by complex technology and by consumerism. Plenty of people are willing to give up personal privacy for the sake of convenience (Facebook and Google, anyone?), so it doesn't seem that much of a stretch to make the data available to government. Technology makes unreasonable search and seizure seem reasonable - do you think the backscatter scanners would be so widely accepted if, instead of a neat machine, someone told you to take off your clothes in a semi-private area? Would you be less OK with warrantless opening of your mail, rather than warrantless (but transparent) reading of email?

[Friar]

I'm surprised this thread hasn't degraded to people just picking faults with the US. I think the worst thing about the US is its foreign policy and how non-us citizens view the country.
I just have this to add: The reason conspiracy theory's are abundant these days is because of the internet. Previously, the chances of meeting some deranged individual who thinks their country is out to kill everyone were slim. Now those people can discus things together over the internet, sharing supposed evidence to back themselves up.

[Cojo the Monkey]

The reason conspiracy theory's are abundant these days is because of the internet. Previously, the chances of meeting some deranged individual who thinks their country is out to kill everyone were slim. Now those people can discus things together over the internet, sharing supposed evidence to back themselves up.

I always wonder where the more obscure fetishists got together before the Internet. Or was it just "Yeah, that's Bob over there, he has a peculiar obsession with balloons, we just leave him be"?

[coolsome]

I always wonder where the more obscure fetishists got together before the Internet. Or was it just "Yeah, that's Bob over there, he has a peculiar obsession with balloons, we just leave him be"?

Maybe they used the yellow pages to advertise.

[GaryCXJk]

I'm surprised this thread hasn't degraded to people just picking faults with the US. I think the worst thing about the US is its foreign policy and how non-us citizens view the country.

It's because of the Whopper. We foreigners love the Whopper.

[doodo!]

Stating flaws in a flawed system.

[ShaggE]

"Yeah, that's Bob over there, he has a peculiar obsession with balloons, we just leave him be"?

*through clenched teeth* That was a CONFIDENTIAL conversation...
:p

[doodo!]

Stating flaws in a flawed system, it's in your nature. It's in your nature to exist. It's in your nature to exist and observe these flaws. It's in your nature to exist and partake in these flaws! You can't escape that, it's experience, it's reality! Your reality! You can't escape that!

You can't escape, change that, a problem with America? HAHAHA, the delusion of a problem, hahaha. It's the natural order, absorption of the human race upon nature, it's a force out of control. There is no problem, only the natural proceedings of experience and existence!

Welcome to the human race a flawed race, a flawed existence!


We're a vile, pathetic race of creatures, undeserving of such a beautiful planet.

[Origami]

^
???

[doodo!]

^
???

At our roots we're all human. You can't escape that, it's the human experience shared by all. It's your experience, their experience. Greed corrupts as greed is natural. Power corrupts as power is natural. It's in our wills, it's in your experience. As we are natural beings who exist it also exists. We've put greed, power, all these things and more into the world out of our own human nature, out of our flawed nature.

Everything you see is a natural process unfolding. Our teachers, scientists, politicians, philosophers, everything. No one can escape that any more than they can not be a functional part of the human race.

You are merely the recent evolved model of "the human", totally confined and existent in the natural order , natural way of existence. You are a natural being of life, a being of evolution.

Witness human nature as a witness, you can't escape that.

[evolution_rex]

If you really think the government is really corrupt, then you should visit some of the other, worse, places in the world (and there are plenty of them). Then see how you feel.

I honestly can't stand people who do nothing all day but complain about how the government is crap and that they don't do they're job right. Obviously barely anyone here has had near the amount of education that the politicians has had. At least try to respect people who are trying to help run your country.

The government isn't trying to screw people over. If anyone, it's the people's fualt. We neglect to pay are taxes, put ourselves in debt, and become lazy when it comes to school. It made things the way we are and now we're trapped becuase not paying things made things more expensive, thus making people neglect to pay more.

[TomPravetz]

I love my country, but I want to start over. Can everyone /else/ secede?

[Sausy Gibbon]

Back to the original post, if a country's citizens don't trust their government isn't that the fault of that government? The government didn't start these conspiracies and corrupting the system because the people didn't trust them. It's a case of cause and effect and suggesting the effect caused the cause (that corrupted officials are the result of people not trusting them) makes no logical sense.

[KuroShiro]

Welcome to the human race a flawed race, a flawed existence!


We're a vile, pathetic race of creatures, undeserving of such a beautiful planet.

Don't cry, emo kid. :p

And as an American who has lived in or visited quite a number of other countries, I can say that it's really not such a bad place. Certainly not without numerous problems, but that is true of any place, as has been so melodramatically implied. And as to the original point, I don't think there is a government in existence that is particularly loved or trusted by its citizens.

[Giant Tope]

If you really think the government is really corrupt, then you should visit some of the other, worse, places in the world (and there are plenty of them). Then see how you feel.

Just because other places have it worse does not make it any better. That's like saying that a woman getting raped shouldn't complain because she wasn't murdered. I've traveled to several countries, and yes, America is doing a bit better than some of them. That doesn't excuse our faults.

I honestly can't stand people who do nothing all day but complain about how the government is crap and that they don't do they're job right. Obviously barely anyone here has had near the amount of education that the politicians has had.

Why are you trying to make me appeal to authority? And even when you're pulling that card, a good amount of individuals are pretty well educated.

At least try to respect people who are trying to help run your country.

I'll respect people who deserve it. Blindly respecting anyone who doesn't deserve it is foolish.

The government isn't trying to screw people over.

Nope, politicians are just trying to make lots of money. Screwing people over is just a by-product. :p

If anyone, it's the people's fualt.

Shifting blame. Yes, citizens should carry more responsibility, but that doesn't excuse the government's faults.

I love this country, but that doesn't mean I think it's perfect.

[DAISHI]

Back to the original post, if a country's citizens don't trust their government isn't that the fault of that government? The government didn't start these conspiracies and corrupting the system because the people didn't trust them. It's a case of cause and effect and suggesting the effect caused the cause (that corrupted officials are the result of people not trusting them) makes no logical sense.

The United States was founded on the principle that government can't be trusted.

[JedExodus]

The United States was founded on the principle that government can't be trusted.

This, the whole system is built on checks and balances. Government should always always be under the highest scrutiny, it keeps things heatlhy

[GaryCXJk]

Oh, the number ONE problem with America is Justin Bieber! You see, because he's not American at all!

Quick, hide! The Canadians are invading! Blame Canada!

[DAISHI]

For those of you who've never read a broadside or pamphlet from the pre-revolutionary period, they are rife with the notion that government, left unchecked, is the thief of freedom. Government is a necessary evil that can only be upheld when it is directly accountable of the people, and should never exceed the wishes of the population. It can't inherently be 'trusted' because to do so means that human nature tends towards the benefit of its brethren.

And while that may be true for some it is not true for all. The Founding Fathers wrote persistently about the corrupting nature of power. Thus to dilute the corrupting nature of it, power needed to be dispersed between various bodies. Even then, the federal government's role had to be checked by the states. And the states themselves had to be accountable to the people.

Now, you have a solid argument towards elitism if you consider what 'people' means, since the Founding Fathers were fairly split between concentrating voting power to elites versus the rabble, and as the years have progressed the 'rabble' notion has prevailed in popular American consciousness. I have an issue myself with uneducated voting. I don't mind you hating my presidential or senatorial pick, but at least tell me accurate reasons why you do. Don't spout what you've been told via television.

In that sense the elites still govern because there is a large segment of the population that votes on trends or momentary, fleeting emotions. This is why American broadsides and pamphlets were so well reasoned versus their English counterparts. Political voices of the 18th century were trying to reason with their audience. Not to say they didn't get petty and angry, but for the most part they tried to apply a sort of logic to why the colonies should or should not rebel.

[joek86]

We have the best elected officials money can buy!

[Scnew]

I thought for sure that the problem was going to be Glenn Beck. Or possibly the Jersey Shore.

[DAISHI]

I'll still partially blame it on Glenn Beck.

[coolsome]

The no 1 thing wrong with America is that Im not there!

[Armakuni]

A huge problem with the US is you were stuck with NTSC versions of the Commodore 64/128 and Amiga computers over there.

Meaning you can't play the majority of great games on any of those systems, seeing as how the best ones were very often produced in the UK.
Europe had a lot more quality games for all those machines, but obviously all in PAL format... trying to run these on NTSC machines most often end up in various glitches/freezes/etc.

So this is a biggie!

(Of course when it came to consoles, it was nearly always better to have an NTSC one... PAL ports were lousy, black borders and even slowed down gameplay because of the different framerate PAL offers... anyway, I say we disregard this fact as everyone knows REAL gamers use computers and not consoles :cool::D:p).