What makes america great?

I love the diversity, the different cultures that somehow
live in harmony and tolerance next to each other.
With hard work, everyone can fulfill their dreams, and
be what they want to be.
I also enjoy the tremendously beautiful nature. Every state has its beauty and I like the openess of it too. I live in a city but 30 minutes outside from it, I'll find nature pure without hundreds of people picnicing at
the same spot

I appreciate the generosity of the people and their readiness
to help.

Now, I'm saying this, while living in beautiful, progressive, tolerant California. I might think differently in one of the
bible belt states.

The people, generally speaking. The ingenuity, freedom of expression and work ethic that generally makes us a bastion of great ideas. The melting pot, the geography, and the form of government. The sheer obstinance of her people.

so true.
I have lived in california.. i had a BLAST!
And yeah, america is a HUGE melting pot. I dont know of any other place that you can live that has such diversity.
I know in San Francisco, over about 10 sq miles you can visit diffrent parts of the city that resemble diffrent countries.
You have china town, little italy etc. It is amazing the diffrences of culture that have arrived and thrived here.

me

Sorry to burst the bubble, but most countries have all of this. You do have an enormous amount of freedom and I guess you're all decent folks, certainly MOST of the Americans i've met were wee smashers! Please though, behave this way abroad! There's a reason why things are smaller here!
Oh, and you gave us Jeff Buckley!!!! But then you did shoot Lennon! McDonalds, Starbucks, Nuclear weapons. Springer!
Bill Hicks made America great. You have the power to say you're the greatest country in the world AND slag the **** out of it! Now that's freedom! Well done!
Take care y'all

imperial.

Humility? :wink:

Traditional characteristics that make a country great include but are not limited to economic strength, military power, a strong sense of morality, political influence, and dyanamic people. Many civilizations throughout history have shared some of these characteristics.

Pepito should seek work with the Republican Party. There is no reason to assume that "America is great." I prefer to live here over any other nation i've seen (and i've seen not a few), with the exeption of Canada. Canada's attraction is a cooler climate, but above all, it is where my Sweetiepie lives.

However, that does mean that the United States is "great." Our economic strength does not prevent hunger and malnutrition here at home. Our military strength does not protect us from terrorists, foreign or domestic. Our "strong sense of morality" (oh please, i've just eaten) gives us to rest of the world a well-deserved image of self-righteous hypocricy, even as our domestic tranquility is shattered by the rantings and actitivism of reactionary Protestants who fall far to the right of John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli. I consider the contention that the United States possesses political influence a laughable absurdity. Our 'dynamic people," if the appellation is warranted, are dynamic because, in fact, they derive from every other nation on earth.

This is a good country, as countries go, despite our politics, despite a tendency developed in the last 60 years to bully others militarily, despite the economic exploitation of the poor right across the globe and not least in our own country, despite the moral blue-noses of the right, despite the ham-handed attempts to meddle in the politics of others.

I prefer it here--i have no illusions that we are "great." It is the ordinariness, the lack of an oligarchy, the hope that we might someday return to our ancient republican values which lead me to say that we are a good country.

Who needs "great?" Who, rationally, would want it?

Thank you for your letter of recommendation but I am not seeking employment now.

I have had the good fortune to travel all over the world. You might be interested to know that many people all over the world agree that the characteristics I mentioned is what makes a country great. I have been to Mongolia, Tajikistan, Egypt, Mexico, India, China, Indonesia, and Italy and quite a few other countries. I can assure you that citizens of these countries are all too willing to tell you about how great their countires used to be.

Which i can assure is a matter of complete indifference to me. It may come as news to you, but you are not, by a long shot, the most well-travelled member here. Odd, but when i was in foreign countries, the subject of what does or does not make a nation "great" never came up. Maybe that's because we were all busy living life, and enjoying the local sights.

Pepito, if you compare the US to countries like Mexio and
Mongolia, India and China, then yes, we have by comparison
a higher standard of living and more freedom.

Being born in Europe and traveled extensively, I can assure
you, that no one is getting green with envy for not living
in the US.

Pointing out why we enjoy living here, doesn't mean, we
need to be superior to other nations.

Calamity Jane, as a well-travelled person, have you ever been to Delaware? It's really beautiful this time of year.

So, to answer your question, the reason why America is great, is because I live here. Slappy Doo Hoo: a self-centered jerk who finds great pleasure in mocking others.

Yes I have Slappy, and driving the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (to Virginia Beach) was quite a memorable, breathtaking experience.
I've been to Boston too

The best part about touring Boston is driving down the street, and pointing out to your friends "see that corner? I puked there. See that alley? I urniated there."

I guess, that is if you drink.

We have some great natural resources and loads of beaches. That always helps make a place good.

I think that our public willingness to cheer on (Freedom with a capital F) is admirable. I think the legacy of our native Americans is great. We have history here and some real heroes. I like the variety of opportunities, the lack of an entrenched peerage & baseball. I also like state governments and I like interstate highways.

Chips Ahoy and Nestles Quik.

Well, I'm a lot older than you and don't puke anymore while drinking

I don't puke either....but that's because I'm a pro.