The American Empire

[Cordel One]

American hegemony is preferable to whatever hellhole the Chinese will throw us in.

I'm not sure it will make much of a difference in most of the world.

[Sanghyeok]

American hegemony is preferable to whatever hellhole the Chinese will throw us in.

I'm not sure it will make much of a difference in most of the world.

Nor will it affect shareholders.

[Adamede]

The one with eagles and F R E E D O M .

Freedom? In the US? I doubt that.

America’s got problems, but not that many.

[Sanghyeok]

Freedom? In the US? I doubt that.

America’s got problems, but not that many.

Systematic racism, high rates of income inequality, police brutality, higher prison population in the world, worsening environment, corruption, anti-science movements, corporate power increasing, democracy that works not for the people but for the elite....

[Adamede]

America’s got problems, but not that many.

Systematic racism, high rates of income inequality, police brutality, higher prison population in the world, worsening environment, corruption, anti-science movements, corporate power increasing, democracy that works not for the people but for the elite....

Yep. And none of those translate to “no freedom”.

Well expect for the prisoners that is, but really the only ones I sympathize there are the ones who where thrown in for drug use.

[Cordel One]

America’s got problems, but not that many.

Systematic racism, high rates of income inequality, police brutality, higher prison population in the world, worsening environment, corruption, anti-science movements, corporate power increasing, democracy that works not for the people but for the elite....

That's true, but the pledge they try to pressure us into doing says there's liberty and justice for all so we must be free.

Systematic racism, high rates of income inequality, police brutality, higher prison population in the world, worsening environment, corruption, anti-science movements, corporate power increasing, democracy that works not for the people but for the elite....

Yep. And none of those translate to “no freedom”.

Well expect for the prisoners that is, but really the only ones I sympathize there are the ones who where thrown in for drug use.

Most crime is caused by inequality, and most Americans outside prison have very little freedom as well. Then, of course, there's all the coups in foreign democracies.

[Sanghyeok]

Systematic racism, high rates of income inequality, police brutality, higher prison population in the world, worsening environment, corruption, anti-science movements, corporate power increasing, democracy that works not for the people but for the elite....

Yep. And none of those translate to “no freedom”.

Well expect for the prisoners that is, but really the only ones I sympathize there are the ones who where thrown in for drug use.

Systematic racism reduces freedom for minority groups, income inequality reduces freedom for the poor, democracy that works for the elite isn't really a democracy. My point (which I also made in the "American democracy" thread), is that those severely limit the so-called "freedom" American politicians talk about.

[The Two Jerseys]

Put me down for "America's sins are still better than the shit China does" as well.

[Adamede]

Yep. And none of those translate to “no freedom”.

Well expect for the prisoners that is, but really the only ones I sympathize there are the ones who where thrown in for drug use.

Systematic racism reduces freedom for minority groups, income inequality reduces freedom for the poor, democracy that works for the elite isn't really a democracy. My point (which I also made in the "American democracy" thread), is that those severely limit the so-called "freedom" American politicians talk about.

Again, I’m not saying that America is perfect or there are no injustices, but it’s not “no freedom at all”, wholly not on a scale that you see in actual dictatorships.

I’d mention freedom of speech but then I remove red youre one of those that doesn’t agree with it.

But I have better things to do that talk to a wall.

[Cordel One]

Put me down for "America's sins are still better than the shit China does" as well.

Another one for remedial history class? Okay then.

[Sanghyeok]

Systematic racism reduces freedom for minority groups, income inequality reduces freedom for the poor, democracy that works for the elite isn't really a democracy. My point (which I also made in the "American democracy" thread), is that those severely limit the so-called "freedom" American politicians talk about.

Again, I’m not saying that America is perfect or there are no injustices, but it’s not “no freedom at all”, wholly not on a scale that you see in actual dictatorships.

I’d mention freedom of speech but then I remove red youre one of those that doesn’t agree with it.

But I have better things to do that talk to a wall.

And I'm not saying America has "no freedom at all", but that your country is far from achieving "freedom" or "greatest country in the free world" that it likes to portray. Denmark, perhaps, would be a country that could actually say they were somewhat free.

[Adamede]

Again, I’m not saying that America is perfect or there are no injustices, but it’s not “no freedom at all”, wholly not on a scale that you see in actual dictatorships.

I’d mention freedom of speech but then I remove red youre one of those that doesn’t agree with it.

But I have better things to do that talk to a wall.

And I'm not saying America has "no freedom at all", but that your country is far from achieving "freedom" or "greatest country in the free world" that it likes to portray. Denmark, perhaps, would be a country that could actually say they were somewhat free.

As I said in the other thread, I find your choice of words very confusing. You say you’re not claiming a total position of “America having no freedom”, yet the rest of the language you use doesn’t support that.

[Atheris]

Again, I’m not saying that America is perfect or there are no injustices, but it’s not “no freedom at all”, wholly not on a scale that you see in actual dictatorships.

I’d mention freedom of speech but then I remove red youre one of those that doesn’t agree with it.

But I have better things to do that talk to a wall.

And I'm not saying America has "no freedom at all", but that your country is far from achieving "freedom" or "greatest country in the free world" that it likes to portray. Denmark, perhaps, would be a country that could actually say they were somewhat free.

You're aware America has some of the best, government-protected civil rights in the world, right? Countries want to be as free as us.

[Cordel One]

And I'm not saying America has "no freedom at all", but that your country is far from achieving "freedom" or "greatest country in the free world" that it likes to portray. Denmark, perhaps, would be a country that could actually say they were somewhat free.

You're aware America has some of the best, government-protected civil rights in the world, right? Countries want to be as free as us.

Maybe someday Syria can reach our level domestically, but most countries should not aspire to be anything like the United States.

[Western Fardelshufflestein]

The US feels extremely polarized right now, and it has only gotten worse this year. But there is culture in America, and yeah...I worry about tech-addict toddlers and kids being forced to sit in front of computers all day in place of a full education. And it's hard to feel united when everyone tells you to stay away from people.

China is the #1 global polluter.

They're forced to sit in front of computers because your government completely failed to respond to the crisis properly.
Also, China and India are expected to be top polluters given 1) their population is by far the highest and 2) many manufacturing plants have been outsourced there.

Yeah, virtual crap is dumm. Not changing my mind. I just wanna live my life, not watch it pass by me because Government Said So.

You're aware America has some of the best, government-protected civil rights in the world, right? Countries want to be as free as us.

Maybe someday Syria can reach our level domestically, but most countries should not aspire to be anything like the United States.

Why not? We have hamburgers.

[Adamede]

They're forced to sit in front of computers because your government completely failed to respond to the crisis properly.
Also, China and India are expected to be top polluters given 1) their population is by far the highest and 2) many manufacturing plants have been outsourced there.

Yeah, virtual crap is dumm. Not changing my mind. I just wanna live my life, not watch it pass by me because Government Said So.

Maybe someday Syria can reach our level domestically, but most countries should not aspire to be anything like the United States.

Why not? We have hamburgers.

Some people think that the more terrible forms of government that have been tried in the past are better for some reason.

[Sparanoda]

I think you will find that it is in China that literacy has gone up and poverty has gone down. The international economy is another branch of the American Empire, enabling it to assert economic and financial dominance over the smaller nations of the world, and I fail to see how exactly America as a nation has contributed to the continual process of tech logical advancement.

MURICA INVENTED THE INTERNET. I rest my case.

Not the web, though. That's British.

[Western Fardelshufflestein]

Yeah, virtual crap is dumm. Not changing my mind. I just wanna live my life, not watch it pass by me because Government Said So.
Why not? We have hamburgers.

Some people think that the more terrible forms of government that have been tried in the past are better for some reason.

#MakeAmericaanAbsoluteMonarchyUnitedUnderMeRegardlessofWhetherorNotIamAmerican
You know, because I am soooooo great under pressure...not....

[Adamede]

MURICA INVENTED THE INTERNET. I rest my case.

Not the web, though. That's British.

Internet can function without the web. Not the other way around.

[Postauthoritarian America]

Retain the Electoral College, admit no new States, block all Democratic nominees to the Supreme Court while rushing through all Republican ones, bring new lawsuits to increase the chokehold The One Percent has on elections at all levels and further suppress Democratic votes through voter ID laws, gerrymandering and selective closing of registration and polling places, ban early and mail voting, block union organizing, weaken protections for organized labor, militarize the police and make police officers immune from criminal or civil lawsuits, repeal environmental and consumer protection laws, politicize the federal civil service, ban immigration and separate refugee children from their parents, continue to enact the Republican Party program of fear, ignorance, hatred, white supremacy and authoritarianism. This will weaken the US domestically and internationally and lead to its eventual fall as a world power.

[Cetacea]

And I'm not saying America has "no freedom at all", but that your country is far from achieving "freedom" or "greatest country in the free world" that it likes to portray. Denmark, perhaps, would be a country that could actually say they were somewhat free.

You're aware America has some of the best, government-protected civil rights in the world, right? Countries want to be as free as us.

I really can’t tell if this is sarcasm or delusion, it certainly isn’t reality

[Atheris]

Retain the Electoral College, admit no new States, block all Democratic nominees to the Supreme Court while rushing through all Republican ones, bring new lawsuits to increase the chokehold The One Percent has on elections at all levels and further suppress Democratic votes through voter ID laws, gerrymandering and selective closing of registration and polling places, ban early and mail voting, block union organizing, weaken protections for organized labor, militarize the police and make police officers immune from criminal or civil lawsuits, repeal environmental and consumer protection laws, politicize the federal civil service, ban immigration and separate refugee children from their parents, continue to enact the Republican Party program of fear, ignorance, hatred, white supremacy and authoritarianism. This will weaken the US domestically and internationally and lead to its eventual fall as a world power.

My, Grandma! What a large strawman you have!

[Infected Mushroom]

The USA is a great threat to world governments and national sovereignty.

[Sanghyeok]

And I'm not saying America has "no freedom at all", but that your country is far from achieving "freedom" or "greatest country in the free world" that it likes to portray. Denmark, perhaps, would be a country that could actually say they were somewhat free.

You're aware America has some of the best, government-protected civil rights in the world, right? Countries want to be as free as us.

Around the top 30. Nothing spectacular compared to Western Europe, to be sure.

[Sanghyeok]

They're forced to sit in front of computers because your government completely failed to respond to the crisis properly.
Also, China and India are expected to be top polluters given 1) their population is by far the highest and 2) many manufacturing plants have been outsourced there.

Yeah, virtual crap is dumm. Not changing my mind. I just wanna live my life, not watch it pass by me because Government Said So.

Maybe someday Syria can reach our level domestically, but most countries should not aspire to be anything like the United States.

Why not? We have hamburgers.

Some people in your government are actually trying to save you from infecting your parents and family. There's a reason science policy should be left to scientists, not certain people who still deny climate change because their Swiss bank account depends on defending oil.