America rules the world..

[[Matt]]

I agree with this guy...

[Harleyman]

Over 50% of USA people don't have a passport which kind of tells you that they seem to think they are in the best place already. Equally "The Military" as they call it has a much higher profile in the USA and it seems to give the Generals the idea that they can rule the country and the world. Don't forget that they part with tens (or is it hundreds) of millions of dollars to Egypt every year so I suppose they are now calling in their favours.

What they also don't understand is that you can't just impose democracy overnight, it takes generations.

 

Generals rules the country?

Where do people like you get these ideas ?

[Harleyman]

Part of the reason the USA sticks it's nose in so many issues is because they are often asked for financial or military support, a bit like us in WWII

 

And other leaders like Cameron, Sarkozy and Merkel say thank god it's not us that has to deal with this mess

[Gordonb]

Invariably when I see a news conference on the TV, The President has some guys in uniform on the platform. Don't look like the Salvation Army to me. This is not a dig at the USA but cynically I never could see much of a difference in the sides of the cold war. Joe public invariably was the last to know and he only ever got to know what those in charge of the military wanted him to know. Europe is no better as every year for many years the EU accounts have not been agreed by the auditors. Wonder where the money went we the public will never get to know.

[Harleyman]

Invariably when I see a news conference on the TV, The President has some guys in uniform on the platform. Don't look like the Salvation Army to me. This is not a dig at the USA but cynically I never could see much of a difference in the sides of the cold war. Joe public invariably was the last to know and he only ever got to know what those in charge of the military wanted him to know. Europe is no better as every year for many years the EU accounts have not been agreed by the auditors. Wonder where the money went we the public will never get to know.

 

The three branches of government run the country, namely the Administrative Branch which is the President and his cabinet, the Legislative Branch which is the government and the Supreme Court cosiisting of 9 judges who debate the legality of laws if they may infringe on Constitutional rights and they also interpret the Constitution when matters arise in connection with it.

The military have no say in running the country whatsoever and the Secretary of Defence is a civilan appointed by the President

[callippo]

Over 50% of USA people don't have a passport which kind of tells you that they seem to think they are in the best place already.

 

what it actually says is that you have no clue about the vastness and diversity of the United States and how anybody can experience every single one of the world's climactic features without leaving it even once in their entire lives. Factor into that that until recently Americans didn't need a passport to travel into lots of neighbouring countries, and it's hardly surprising that not so many Americans have passports. They tend not to have passports because they tend not to need them.

[Harleyman]

what it actually says is that you have no clue about the vastness and diversity of the United States and how anybody can experience every single one of the world's climactic features without leaving it even once in their entire lives. Factor into that that until recently Americans didn't need a passport to travel into lots of neighbouring countries, and it's hardly surprising that not so many Americans have passports. They tend not to have passports because they tend not to need them.

 

Very true! From rugged high snow capped mountains and rivers in the northwest to deserts with fantastic mesas and canyons to a Caribbean climate in Florida. It's all there.

Places like Europe have become a bit too expensive for the average American these days.

[Gordonb]

what it actually says is that you have no clue about the vastness and diversity of the United States and how anybody can experience every single one of the world's climactic features without leaving it even once in their entire lives. Factor into that that until recently Americans didn't need a passport to travel into lots of neighbouring countries, and it's hardly surprising that not so many Americans have passports. They tend not to have passports because they tend not to need them.

 

Spent time in Calafornia, South Carolina, Florida and I do appreciate the vast differences between them. For scenery you probably only need to stay in Calafornia. I could say that you can get the same differences in climatic conditions going across Europe but it is the different cultures and ways of living that people travel to see not just the weather. Your fellow Americans who were in Lima and elsewhere in Peru when I was there certainly didn't hold with your values along with most of the Military people who rotated through Mildenhall/Lakenheath over the past 20 plus years.

[Gordonb]

Very true! From rugged high snow capped mountains and rivers in the northwest to deserts with fantastic mesas and canyons to a Caribbean climate in Florida. It's all there.

Places like Europe have become a bit too expensive for the average American these days.

 

Agree with the high cost of Europe. Hence frequent visits to USA

[donuticus]

Over 50% of USA people don't have a passport which kind of tells you that they seem to think they are in the best place already. Equally "The Military" as they call it has a much higher profile in the USA and it seems to give the Generals the idea that they can rule the country and the world. Don't forget that they part with tens (or is it hundreds) of millions of dollars to Egypt every year so I suppose they are now calling in their favours.

What they also don't understand is that you can't just impose democracy overnight, it takes generations.

 

No it doesn't.

 

I moved here three months ago. What it shows me is that no matter what state you live in you are no more than a three hour drive away from anything.

 

I moved to California last September.It is a truly wonderful place to live.

 

I can drive for two hours from my house and snowboard and ski to my hearts content yet I can still drive home, and sleep no more than 10mins from the beach.

 

Having a passport doesn't suddenly make you a traveling expert. I know many people in the UK who's passport is used to get them to Faliraki and Ibiza every year.

 

I would drive for as long as many people fly in Europe to get to the exact same thing. Don't assume that just because you're traveling abroad you're somehow superior to those who stay within their locality.

 

Would you fly for 4 hours to a ski resort if one was only a three hour drive away (particularly at our gas prices)?

 

I appreciate that history etc. cannot be replicated but that does not make Americans less understanding of foreign cultures.