What is the Problem With America?

[Bullet1987]

Why does it seem like Europe and the rest of the world are much better at domestic issues than America? Energy breakthroughs are being made in China. Europe talking about finally doing something about climate change and the global economic crisis, and America is not ready. Why? Because it's taken us years to do what the rest of the industrialized world did decades ago. Before Michael Moore's Sicko (he still doesn't get the credit he deserves), universal healthcare was still a taboo, "don't touch" topic. Why does everything move so slow here? What's at the heart of the problem? Corporate greed? Lobbyism? Politicians standing on both sides of the aisle (Blue Dogs) trying to have it both ways? I'm sure those same things go on in Europe too. But their politicians also seem to take their jobs much more seriously than American politicians. Europeans actually get mad and show it. Is that it? Are our leaders just spineless? It seems the only thing America is good at is blowing shit up. Our infrastructure is deteriorating every year, several sectors in America require much needed upgrades. Or is it the size of America itself? We are much bigger than Great Britain, France, Italy, Spain, etc. Americans have many more people to account for.

[BlooInBloo]

1. That Americans are stupid.

[Kermitt Gribble]

3. I second that answer... n/t

[Skittles]

2. religious nuttery in America

makes people very stupid

[debbierlus]

It is the dominance of corporations and profit above everything else

There is more to it then that, of course. But, that would probably be the biggest challenge. And, as other nations fall under the corporate fist, they lose their freedoms and quality of life, as well.

[Deja Q]

4. It's not size when China, just a teensy larger country, can make fast trains and promote solar...

Conversely, however, the quality of goods made over there so far somewhat and unfortunately supports your claim... :(

[Turbineguy]

5. You have people

actively working to pit some Americans against other Americans.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

6. A member of my family is a right winger, and today I saw why Repubs think the way they do

In a very sincere manner, he posed this situation:

"What if people didn't have to work for healthcare? What if they got healthcare for free? They'd probably stop working, and live off those who do work. You have to force people to work."

My response?

I said this:

"And is that what's happened in European countries, where they have a socialized system of healthcare? Have gigantic segments of those populations quit working, and gone home to watch TV and do nothing? No. So clearly, the Republican idea that if OUR taxes pay not only for the military, park and libraries, but also for healthcare will result in a lazy country, is not based on facts.

[proud patriot]

7. Americans have been given a media diet of " necessary illusions"

in which Corporate elite "manufacture consent" .
Since Americans are stuck in traffic with Rush limbaugh
yelling in their ears channeling the genuine anger of the
down trodden to hating other Americans. Also Americans are
Lazy in their information gathering . They trust people who
profit from lying to them. the "why should I care?" and
the" I don't matter anyway" crowd plays a factor too.

Our society has been created in a manner that keeps people too
busy to stay informed .

[DrToast]

8. It's the structure of the government

It's easier to get shit done under a parliamentary system.

Our government may have worked 200 years ago, but it's a damn mess trying to govern what became of the colonies.

[mwb970]

9. Too many right-wing religious nuts.

The nation is paralyzed.

[indepat]

10. The problem is so simple: dems are so afraid they'd shit their pants if labeled soft on communism,

soft on crime, soft on drugs, soft on terra, or weak on national defense that they have figuratively jumped through their own assholes in letting 'pukes set the national agenda/priorities for over half a century and we can all see where this political cowardice has brought us as a nation and a people today. :P