The time when America stopped being great

[car720]

1 minute ago, craigt3365 said:

As has been pointed out here, the US, like many other large nations, has contributed a lot to our global society.  Including this technology which you use to bash the US. LOL

Wasn't it the Germans who invented the first computer (the enigma) and the British who broke the code and invented the first real computer. i.e. Alan Turing.

[attrayant]

It is the foreign workforce which keeps USA great not the homegrown talent.

No; it’s diversity. A mix of local and imported talent yields amazing results. One of the best teams I ever had the pleasure of managing was composed of skilled workers from 5 of the 6 continents.

On the other hand, striving for racial purity and adhering to cultural/traditional values is a good way to stagnate.

[craigt3365]

4 minutes ago, car720 said:

Wasn't it the Germans who invented the first computer (the enigma) and the British who broke the code and invented the first real computer. i.e. Alan Turing.

We're talking the internet. Not the first computer, which didn't have communications abilities like the internet. 

[GreasyFingers]

11 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

And Russia wasn't influential in formenting civil unrest in Ukraine?  Be honest.....

I never studied modern history, just quoting an american who works with the CIA.

[craigt3365]

2 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

I never studied modern history, just quoting an american who works with the CIA.

It'd be worthwhile to do your own studies rather than relying on one person's comments.  True or not....

[GreasyFingers]

1 minute ago, craigt3365 said:

It'd be worthwhile to do your own studies rather than relying on one person's comments.  True or not....

Maybe you should do some research on the person quoted. He does not hide the fact that he consults to the CIA.

[craigt3365]

15 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

Maybe you should do some research on the person quoted. He does not hide the fact that he consults to the CIA.

So now it's "consults" and not works?  LOL....they all say that.

[GreasyFingers]

Just now, craigt3365 said:

So now it's "consults" and not works?  LOL....they all say that.

Sorry baby, it is Loy Krathong and must go. You could try that wonderful american software called Google for your research.

[farcanell]

3 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

If you look at what America has given to the world - in the fields of science, literature, entertainment, academia, education, sport, etc etc; in such a short existence as a nation, it's incomparable.

In such a short existence, it gathered an incomparable amount of migrants, who contributed amazingly to the enhancement of these things... being the home of the free.

 

hows the immigration thing going these days... walls being built, civil liberties being suppressed... well... you know where I’m going

 

5 hours ago, baboon said:

American-style food

Yep... gotta agree... American style crispy bacon is without peer... love it!

 

but... the growth in obesity due to American style food, and its export, is not so good perhaps.

[jcsmith]

The whole making America Great Again thing was a catch phrase, but America was still great, in the process of recovering from the financial crisis. A recent poll at Vox showed that 59% of Americans consider now the lowest point in American history. Thank you Donald Trump.

[nasanews]

I think America's political problem lies in the republican voters, they are too dumb to know that Regan and Trump were democrats in their youth and they both used the same slogan "we will make America great again".

[dunroaming]

I have been doing business in the USA since the early 1980's and have always enjoyed the people and the place.  Has it lost it's way?  Not really but there are certainly destructive elements at the moment and it desperately needs to get rid of this poisonous fool of a President. 

[buick]

my grandfather says america began its decline when women were given the right to vote !! 

[ilostmypassword]

4 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

What country doesn't do things primarily when it suits their interests? US secret service plots to overthrow governments?  Talk about propaganda.  You believe that?

 

The US Secret Service's main job is protection for the president. LOL.

 

You watch too many movies.

He may have identified the wrong agency but the point is true. Just look at the history of latin america. And the overthrow of Mossadegh in Iran. There are others, too.

[the guest]

Yeah it was great for about 11 minutes, when Trump's twitter account was suspended !

[Skeptic7]

4 hours ago, jobwolf said:

Please don't forget that most great inventors of IT systems and above the norm workers are imported into the States. It is the foreign workforce which keeps USA great not the homegrown talent.

WRONG! Pure BS. Here's a very short, very modern list of "homegrown" in no particular order...

 

Jeff Bezos, Larry Page, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Steve Case, Steve Wozniak, Mark Zuckerberg, Andy Rubin, Michael Dell, Tim Cook, Paul Allen, Larry Ellison, Marc Randolph, Reed Hastings, Michael Morhaime, Jimmy Wales, John Warnock, Charles Geschke

 

...and the list goes on and on 

[ilostmypassword]

2 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

And that was done by the secret service?  Who's trolling now....

 

That list isn't accurate....but yes, like most other powerful nations in the world, interference in other's politics happens.  Whether recently or in the recent past.

The list isn't accurate. I dont' think serious historians have much dispute with any of the items on this list. But please, do share with us the ones you see as being false and why.

[observer90210]

Be it any country of the world - the USA, Thailand, France, UK, Israël and many more....

 

The commoners, the taxpayers keep the boat afloat and don't give a damm in their politicians who ultimately create turmoil or chaos.....

 

The normal bystanders just want to be left alone, make a decent living and not be plumetted in overloaded tax burdens, unemployment and so on....but the reality is quite different and the politicians ruin many things that were working fine before they came to power.

 

 

Unfortunately, this is the dark side of democracy.

[dunroaming]

1 hour ago, Skeptic7 said:

WRONG! Pure BS. Here's a very short, very modern list of "homegrown" in no particular order...

 

Jeff Bezos, Larry Page, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Steve Case, Steve Wozniak, Mark Zuckerberg, Andy Rubin, Michael Dell, Tim Cook, Paul Allen, Larry Ellison, Marc Randolph, Reed Hastings, Michael Morhaime, Jimmy Wales, John Warnock, Charles Geschke

 

...and the list goes on and on 

I am with you on this but as you haven't quoted any original American Indians in your list (as far as I can see) then one could argue that all your names are immigrants and therefore foreigners.  It is just a matter of timelines. 

 

Yes I am just being frivolous and of course your list includes some really iconic figures from I.T.

[edwinchester]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPHSXUS0_1c&app=desktop

[boomerangutang]

When Did America Stop Being Great?

 

some thoughts....

 

>>>  when more people were getting hand-outs than # of those doing jobs

>>>  when it became too easy to make a killing in Wall Street by people who produce absolutely nothing (no product, no service nor any help to community or humanity).

>>>  when over 50% of the population became officially obese

>>>  when people cheered Trump for calling a woman ' a fat pig, a dog, a slob, and a disgusting animal.'

>>>  when Americans thought it was funny when Trump ridiculed a disabled man.

>>>   when Americans didn't mind a presidential candidate bragging about grabbing pussy, and saying he came onto a married woman 'like a bitch' (while he was just starting his 3rd marriage).

>>>   when ad execs become millionaires by selling sugary crap to little children

>>>   when a third of Americans don't mind a president who lies every time he makes a statement.

>>>  when billionaires and dirty tricksters (and Russian agents) control who gets elected 

 

 

Edited November 3, 2017 by boomerangutang

[boomerangutang]

The best thing about the US is its parks, particularly national parks.

Thankfully, there are more people who appreciate pure nature and want to preserve it, than there are people like Republicans who want to monetize them.   If Republicans had their way, the Grand Canyon would be a giant Uranium mine, Glacier National Park would be clear cut, and Yosemite would be dammed, same as Hetch Hetchy, further north.

[Krataiboy]

6 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

And that was done by the secret service?  Who's trolling now....

 

That list isn't accurate....but yes, like most other powerful nations in the world, interference in other's politics happens.  Whether recently or in the recent past.

That list isn't accurate...

 

Really? I'm sure Foreign Policy (rated a Least Biased website by MediaBiasFactchecker.com) would be interested to see your definitive list. Surely there's one filed away somewhere at Langley.

 

Or would that be too much like having teeth pulled without an anaesthetic?

Edited November 3, 2017 by Krataiboy

[Thongkorn]

I use to ,respect the BBC, it use to be unbiased , Now its corrupted,  You hear more on bbc radio about muslims  than the Country's own faith, they push Politically correct things, The BBC has lost its way.

[lannarebirth]

8 hours ago, dick dasterdly said:

When the US decided to become the 'world's policeman' - but only when it suited their 'interests'.

 

Additionally,  when American citizens started believing their own propaganda.  e.g. US secret service plots to overthrow/destroy/attack unfriendly foreign govts entirely OK - whereas attacks on the US in any way, shape or form is entirely different....

 

I think you mean the CIA and not The Secret Service. The Secret Service is charged with protecting the integrity of the American money supply and other financial aparatuses. They additionally protect high ranking persons in government and their families.

[NumbNut]

6 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

The best thing about the US is its parks, particularly national parks.

Thankfully, there are more people who appreciate pure nature and want to preserve it, than there are people like Republicans who want to monetize them.   If Republicans had their way, the Grand Canyon would be a giant Uranium mine, Glacier National Park would be clear cut, and Yosemite would be dammed, same as Hetch Hetchy, further north.

 

I'm in total agreement Boomer.

 

I personally believe the 'National Park' concept is the greatest invention the US has come up with. The idea that something is worth preserving, above and beyond its commercial value is something I will always believe in. 

 

Could you imagine a world without Yellowstone Park? It's unthinkable, and rightly so!

 

[craigt3365]

6 hours ago, Krataiboy said:

That list isn't accurate...

 

Really? I'm sure Foreign Policy (rated a Least Biased website by MediaBiasFactchecker.com) would be interested to see your definitive list. Surely there's one filed away somewhere at Langley.

 

Or would that be too much like having teeth pulled without an anaesthetic?

My point being that they left out a few. LOL

[Grouse]

 

 

The Enigma machine was not a computer.

 

Correct about Turing though

Edited November 4, 2017 by Grouse

[Rancid]

All empires eventually decline through rampant corruption. The US has been captured by the military complex and banking cabals, these parasites control corrupt government and stand at the front of the line to collect all the spoils. Hence all the wars and war mongering.

 

Reality is that the US can no longer continue the enormous spending on its military. Who is the US afraid of, no country would ever dare attack them, its purely about money. Latest is a 3 trillion dollar program to upgrade their nuclear arsenal, who do you suppose will be pocketing a large hunk of that money that could have been spent on constructive job creating infrastructure?

 

Sad thing is that the US originally stood for freedom and equality, however the usual suspects eventually bought and corrupted the whole system, it is now even worse than the old monarchies many escaped from. Regardless, massive corruption and oppression of liberty always collapses eventually, it isn't about if but when.

[craigt3365]

4 minutes ago, Rancid said:

All empires eventually decline through rampant corruption. The US has been captured by the military complex and banking cabals, these parasites control corrupt government and stand at the front of the line to collect all the spoils. Hence all the wars and war mongering.

 

Reality is that the US can no longer continue the enormous spending on its military. Who is the US afraid of, no country would ever dare attack them, its purely about money. Latest is a 3 trillion dollar program to upgrade their nuclear arsenal, who do you suppose will be pocketing a large hunk of that money that could have been spent on constructive job creating infrastructure?

 

Sad thing is that the US originally stood for freedom and equality, however the usual suspects eventually bought and corrupted the whole system, it is now even worse than the old monarchies many escaped from. Regardless, massive corruption and oppression of liberty always collapses eventually, it isn't about if but when.

Good gosh.  Enough with the military complex.  That's been debunked.  Banking...that's another story.  Corruption?  No, it's mostly legal BS, lobbyists and loopholes they use. 

 

The US is vastly better than what it was 100 years ago, even 50 years ago.  It ain't perfect, but then no country is.  It's better than most, not as good as some.  But far from terrible.  As many members here try to say.

 

I'd love to see the military budget reduced.  At the same time Russia and China reduce theirs.  Tit for tat, right?