What makes America great?

From a BBC Foreign Correspondent, who is leaving the US:

I deplore the superstition and the eating competitions and the tatty dreariness of so much of America, and I note that the new president is also unimpressed by the infrastructure and not a fan of fat but, after more than seven years living here, I am increasingly convinced that these elements of the nation are not the flip side of the greatness of America, they are part of that greatness.
There is something about the carelessness of America that gives space for greatness.

There is something appealing and elegant about the simplicity of laissez faire government in creating something out of nothing, but is true?

What has the rise of Silicon Valley got to do with a government that permits children to be denied medical care, simply on account of their parents’ faith? What about the high quality of schooling, or opportunities, which is simply unseen in third world countries? Or can the success of the US be attributed to the relative absence of class in society?

In Australia, what I find that makes Australians great (I’m overseas born by the way) is a validated faith that their effort takes them somewhere. “All you have to do is to be willing to work hard”. Less is made of family or political connections, or whether the government is going to act in affirmative or vice versa depending on your ethnicity.

I’m curious dear reader. What about in your country? What are the elements in your country that breeds success?

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Published:: 8.4.09 / 9am

Category:: General

No One 8.4.09 / 10am

Maybe separation of church and state is part of what makes the US great?

Chui 8.4.09 / 11am

You know, that is so true. Because I came from a country where religious politics are important, and when this happens, it is not so much that religion is harming politics, but politicians that wrap religion around their policies become immune to criticism. This also leads to flawed policies which do not improve the state of a nation. Instead, leads to politicians enriching themselves. Kind of like “divide and rule”

ricegf 8.4.09 / 9pm

You say, “a government that *permits* children to be denied medical care, simply on account of their parents’ faith” (emphasis added).

I would turn your assertion around. Why would I want to live in a country where government bureaucrats force me to violate my religious faith (as if they are wiser than I) and dictate decisions within my family (as if they care more)?

You presuppose that government decisions are always right; history proves otherwise. I trust the “unwashed masses” far more than a bureaucrat any day of the week.

The belief that Americans are capable of running our own lives and solving our own problems, rather than relying on kings and queens and the nanny state, are what make America great in my eyes. I pray that we not abandon that greatness in the quixotic quest for “free health care”.

Chui 8.4.09 / 9pm

Thank you ricegf. I realize you feel rather strongly about the current health policy debate in your country, and I hope your country achieves a sensible and practical compromise between all parties.

However, my question is not one of free health care, because I’m sure the middle east offers far better health care than the US could afford for it’s citizens, but yet rank poorly in terms of governance, corruption, etc.

Abe 8.5.09 / 3am

@ricegf: But America *is* nanny state! Next time you travel, pay some attention to everything around you. Where in the US you see warning signs such as the cliche “do not microware kittens”, other countries expect people to be smart enough to realize this. Of course things are not black and white, which you can see by comparing food safety in the US to many other first world countries for example: the US has IMO appalling record, and there are countries don’t allow certain US produced food items because of this. I come from a country where people mostly trust the government to do the right thing and protect its citizens from ordinary harms, like providing healthcare for all, while the record of the US government is pretty spotty in this regard.

Chui 8.5.09 / 8am

@Abe wouldn’t the spotty food safety be proof that US is *not* a nanny state?

ricegf 8.6.09 / 10pm

@Abe: “Where in the US you see warning signs such as the cliche “do not microware kittens”, other countries expect people to be smart enough to realize this.”

You don’t identify your country, but you don’t appear to know much about life in the USA. The plethora of warning labels in the USA are not generally required by the government, but rather placed on products as a proactive defense against consumer lawsuits.

While Americans tend to ridicule the labels, we also tend to award large damages to citizens harmed by their own stupidity, and thus we implicitly encourage manufacturers to include these warnings on their products.

And I’m fine with this. Giving these choices to people (in this case, jurors), rather than government bureaucrats, is part of America’s greatness IMHO.

I fear the current administration’s policies of extreme deficit spending, direct government ownership of business, and expansive regulation is diametrically opposed to these principles on which our country was built. The mid-term elections can’t come too soon.

Chui 8.7.09 / 8am

@ricegf don’t you think there are some areas of affairs which are better dealt by government, while others are dealt by the people themselves? For instance, roads, schools, driver testing. While others are responsibilities of the individual? like reading to kids, turning off the xbox, and exercising. Then there are some gray areas, like negotiating with doctors and pharmaceuticals. Single-payer healthcare means that the negotiation is done by government, instead of insurance companies. I certainly haven’t come across sick people who try to haggle with pharmaceuticals and doctors.

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What makes America great?

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