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>"Best" country for what?
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>- Most powerful - yes (until China overtakes you)
>- Richest - I think so
>- Highest standard of living - No
>- Best quality of life = No
>- Lowest infant mortality rate - No
>- Longest life expectancy - No
>- Best medical care - Yes - for those who can afford it.
>- Best food - No
>- Least crime? - No
>- Happiest people - no-one's qualified to answer that.
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>Get the picture? How do you define "best"?
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>I'm not a yank-basher but I'll take on one who goes spouting his mouth off. I have spoken up for the USA against this constant sniping from the Netherlands but now you're sounding like just as the anti-American world sees the big-mouthed yank. Your country's got a hell of a lot going for it, and the people I've always found to be cheerful, fun-loving, generous, hospitable. But "The Best Country"?

Yeah, I know it sounds like I'm bragging, but I'm not. I'm simply stating my opinion about which country is the greatest ever. If you don't think it's the US, which country would you say is? There must be one, if there is a list of great countries/civilizations and my selection just happens to be the US. It's not as though I had anything to do with it, you know. If I thought I did, and I made this statement, you could bash me for bragging. I didn't, I'm not, so you shouldn't feel like I'm boasting. I'm just stating my opinion. England had a period of time when it was the greatest, Greece, Egypt, etc. but I think the US is today.

I think the single biggest thing we have going for us is democracy. We have freedom that has never been seen before. In fact we may have too much freedom in some cases, but that would be another thread or twelve, wouldn't it?