Exactly how did America become so powerful?

[excel]

war

[FreeFall]

There was great documentary called guns,germs and steel that looked at why some cultures have thrived but its not just natural resources, there are countries in the world like Russia,China,Canada and Brazil with more natural resources than the US.

American power, at least in the business world, was already a source of resentment even before World War 1. We have been lucky to attract some brilliant people to these shores, its like what happened with silicon valley, once the ball starts rolling you start attracting bright engineers and entrepreneurs from all over the world. Maybe other nations will build something comparable to silicon valley and all that entrepreneurship coming out of top universities like Stanford but it hasnt happened yet.

I'd recommend that you leave this country and spend some time abroad if you think that is the best place on earth.

[Ernie Mccracken]

I'd recommend that you leave this country and spend some time abroad if you think that is the best place on earth.

You mean like in most of Asia where women literally throw themselves at any American male in hopes of snagging a green card? Or South American slums the size of major US cities? Or Europe that is facing the exact same financial meltdown as the US?

The line to get into this country is still miles long. Thousands are willing to risk their lives every day for a shot at making minimum wage here. The top 1% from most other countries dream about sending their children here for higher education.

Yes, there are tons of major problems that only seem to be getting worse, but all the "hurr durrr USA sux worst cuz we have wal-mart and fatties omglolol" is rhetoric that only life busto idiots perpetuate. The US has a long history of higher education which allowed us to poach the best science, math, and engineering minds from all over the world. I'm sorry that most SBR posters spend their weekends eating lukewarm hot pockets in their mom's basement, but don't try to blame it on lack of opportunity.

[gregm]

I'd recommend that you leave this country and spend some time abroad if you think that is the best place on earth.

This thread isnt about the nicest place to live in the world , its about how did America become so powerful. I know the south bay area has changed drastically from the time I was there as a teenager and my dad worked in computers there. The cost of a house is pretty much out of reach for most of my friends I grew up with , and the traffic and just the overall sprawl is awful in some places but California, like most of America, is still an incredible place to start a business and live.

If you are talking about America and how it became powerful , Silicon valley and California is a big part of it, the economy of California is larger than the majority of most countries in the world.

[Mr. Teaser]

As someone who has taught social studies your answer is a good one. You can also add the natural resources of America and the industrial revolution.

[FindTheLock]

Resources

[FreeFall]

You mean like in most of Asia where women literally throw themselves at any American male in hopes of snagging a green card? Or South American slums the size of major US cities? Or Europe that is facing the exact same financial meltdown as the US?

The line to get into this country is still miles long. Thousands are willing to risk their lives every day for a shot at making minimum wage here. The top 1% from most other countries dream about sending their children here for higher education.

Yes, there are tons of major problems that only seem to be getting worse, but all the "hurr durrr USA sux worst cuz we have wal-mart and fatties omglolol" is rhetoric that only life busto idiots perpetuate. The US has a long history of higher education which allowed us to poach the best science, math, and engineering minds from all over the world. I'm sorry that most SBR posters spend their weekends eating lukewarm hot pockets in their mom's basement, but don't try to blame it on lack of opportunity.

You picked Asia and Mexico as your counter argument which is smart, but not convincing. Why not try picking a first world country and make your argument.

Also can you explain to me what women won't throw themselves at a rich male? Do you think these "asian women" won't throw themselves at rich italians? Sweeds? Kiwis?

Again I recommend you do something traveling. You will soon notice that this country is on it's way down not up.

Also feel free to outcast me. It won't be the first time I go against the mob of idiots and it won't be the last.

[opie1988]

You picked Asia and Mexico as your counter argument which is smart, but not convincing. Why not try picking a first world country and make your argument.
Also can you explain to me what women won't throw themselves at a rich male? Do you think these "asian women" won't throw themselves at rich italians? Sweeds? Kiwis?
Again I recommend you do something traveling. You will soon notice that this country is on it's way down not up.
Also feel free to outcast me. It won't be the first time I go against the mob of idiots and it won't be the last.

Get over yourself already.

[andywend]

Freefall, you're a PUTZ!!!

In the words of Opie, GET OVER YOURSELF ALREADY!!!

[FreeFall]

well John is greatful for your actions so keep up the great work!

[brooks85]

brooks if you study WWII, you will find out that even thought the United States had a strong military force before entering the War the US equipment was inferior compared to the German's. The Sherman tanks where no match against the Panther tanks of the German army. On the ground the saving grave for the US was numbers in force, more troops and more tanks and so on. To say if we was in the middle of Europe it we would have not watched and let it happen. It would have been a tough battle to survive the blitzbergs and to be caught off guard with inferior equipment. During the War the US had almost every major company making equipment for the war effort that would be hard to do in the middle of the war zone.

you skipped one buddy...

hitler wouldnt not have amassed the army he did if we were next store, go study pre-WW1. You think we would have just sat back and watched if he was that close?

[opie1988]

well John is greatful for your actions so keep up the great work!

Well.....I'm certainly grateful that John is "greatful".

[doublej95]

you skipped one buddy...

hitler wouldnt not have amassed the army he did if we were next store

You really think that? England was right next door, and a very powerful nation in it's own right. Hitler straight up fooled them, England signed a peace deal with Hitler when he first started to invade Austria.


Didn't the US get caught off guard by Japan even after Japanese message's was intercepted saying that they was going to attack in the Pacific? The top military brass at the time was to arrogant to believe such a thing could happen.

[WvGambler]

You picked Asia and Mexico as your counter argument which is smart, but not convincing. Why not try picking a first world country and make your argument.

Also can you explain to me what women won't throw themselves at a rich male? Do you think these "asian women" won't throw themselves at rich italians? Sweeds? Kiwis?

Again I recommend you do something traveling. You will soon notice that this country is on it's way down not up.

Also feel free to outcast me. It won't be the first time I go against the mob of idiots and it won't be the last.

You shouldn't have gone against the mob of English teachers who attempted to educate you.

[FourLengthsClear]

You really think that? England was right next door, and a very powerful nation in it's own right. Hitler straight up fooled them, England signed a peace deal with Hitler when he first started to invade Austria.

He didn't fool anyone not even Chamberlain.

Britain (and France) wanted to avoid war at pretty much all costs. Hitler was essentially given the green light to take over the Sudentanland (on the premise that the majority were ethnic Germans) in the vain hope that it would appease the Nazis.

[JoeVig]

Over the past 40 years Republicans have waged a class war against the middle class, one critical part of that war was their war on labor unions. As union membership declined the middle class' share of the income stream has also declined.

http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/unionincome.jpg

As the middle class gets less and less, the wealthy get more and more. Today the richest 1% have 25 trillion dollars, which is 40% of all the wealth held by US households. The 1% has more money than the poorest 50% of Americans(150 million people).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wealth_in_the_United_States

http://www.vanityfair.com/society/features/2011/05/top-one-percent-201105

As the middle class has shrunk the number of those living in poverty and near poverty has swelled. Today, a full one-third of all Americans live in poverty or near poverty.

http://workersrights.twu.org/post/13155639340/100-million-americans-live-in-poverty

Despite all this, Republicans expect us to call the wealthy and privileged our "job creators", while they demand we not hurt their feelings by asking them to pay a little more in taxes. The richest 400 Americans pay an overall effective tax rate of 18%, while what's left of the middle class pays about 25%.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issu...tax_rates.html

Gee, did we wake up on the left side of the bed today? Could you pick any more biased, liberal sources for your information? How about the Daily Worker or People's World?

[doublej95]

And Daladier who signed the Munich Agreement for France commented on his warm welcome home "Ah, les cons!" Ah, the fools. He knew what Hitler was going to do and Hitler knew what he was going todo, conquer western europe. The Munich Agreement was a joke in hoping Hitler would be afraid of the Red Army.

[FourLengthsClear]

And Daladier who signed the Munich Agreement for France commented on his warm welcome home "Ah, les cons!" Ah, the fools. He knew what Hitler was going to do and Hitler knew what he was going todo, conquer western europe. The Munich Agreement was a joke in hoping Hitler would be afraid of the Red Army.

Sure and Churchill said basically the same thing in his famous address to the UK parliament.

""We have suffered a total and unmitigated defeat...you will find that in a period of time which may be measured by years, but may be measured by months, Czechoslovakia will be engulfed in the Nazi regime. We are in the presence of a disaster of the first magnitude. We have sustained a defeat without a war, the consequences of which will travel far with us along our road...we have passed an awful milestone in our history, when the whole equilibrium of Europe has been deranged, and that the terrible words have for the time being been pronounced against the Western democracies: "Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting". And do not suppose that this is the end. This is only the beginning of the reckoning. This is only the first sip, the first foretaste of a bitter cup which will be proffered to us year by year unless by a supreme recovery of moral health and martial vigour, we arise again and take our stand for freedom as in the olden time."

[doublej95]

4LC it's actually nice to see someone on here that actually has some knowledge.

[eidolon]

Great nations are built on the backs of those without a voice

[Balco10]

Military was are still #1 by far...

[Balco10]

We are still top regardless of JJ list...
He was drunk when he posted that nonsenses.