top of the heap to third world status in one generation

[St. Phatty]

very true. i live in a dominant migrant community and while for american standards my hood is poor but for the migrants its a huge step up from their home country.

i do believe our country is on the edge of loosing its dominance as a super power, china is next to dominate.

The US has Lost its dominance.

It just takes time to recognize it.

Of course, DETAILS are where it's at when making these kinds of statements.

We would need a list of Social Parameters by which to judge "Dominance".

Besides Military Power, what else would be on that list ?

 

[Gry]

Third world status? Ever been to a third world country? Poor people in the states live like kings in comparison to people in third world countries. Oh my will the hyperbole never end?
View Image

If it would make it any easier for you,
you can always think of us as a top banana republic.

Actions do have consequences.

 

[Dirt Bag]

Ha! The opinions posted here are hilarious and uninformed. Most just don't realize the enormity of US influence throughout the world. With vastly fewer people than China, The United States effectively polices the planet. If by no other comparison use aircraft carriers. The US has more, newer, better than the rest of the world combined. And I haven't even mentioned anything stealth. There really is nothing to compare to. The US military is the most powerful, far reaching in the history of mankind. US consumption drives the entire world's economy. China is the majority of the population and a drop in the bucket economically. The average American is like 2.5 Chinese. They're gigantic! Fat gobblers of goods. Nobody can out consume these fat fucks!

 

[Elmer Bud]

Ha! The opinions posted here are hilarious and uninformed. Most just don't realize the enormity of US influence throughout the world. With vastly fewer people than China, The United States effectively polices the planet. If by no other comparison use aircraft carriers. The US has more, newer, better than the rest of the world combined. And I haven't even mentioned anything stealth. There really is nothing to compare to. The US military is the most powerful, far reaching in the history of mankind. US consumption drives the entire world's economy. China is the majority of the population and a drop in the bucket economically. The average American is like 2.5 Chinese. They're gigantic! Fat gobblers of goods. Nobody can out consume these fat fucks!

G `day DB

I think a giant ship in the middle of the ocean might be vulnerable to hypersonic missiles and swarm drone attacks .

If there is one thing the USA doesn`t like it is casualties . And def not on MSN .
They make folks at home not quite so eager to support war .

Remember Somalia ? Drag one dead US soldier through the streets of Mogadishu , get it on TV . The occupation ends ...

Thanks for sharin

EB .

 

[Ignignokt]

if he opens his mouth, what comes out will be a lie. bank on it...

Yes, this is a given, but it's feeling like the last few episodes of a TV drama series.... the 'whoa' factor is building, but what will be revealed?
Will the Drumpf family assets be seized? Will Eric be resigned to washing windshields at traffic lights? Will Don Jr be giving handjobs in exchange for cigarettes in prison.... can things get weirder or perhaps things just stay 'peachy dory' for camp orange, who knows?

 

[Brother Nature]

They're rich, even their prisons are better than ours.

 

[Dirt Bag]

G `day DB

I think a giant ship in the middle of the ocean might be vulnerable to hypersonic missiles and swarm drone attacks .

If there is one thing the USA doesn`t like it is casualties . And def not on MSN .
They make folks at home not quite so eager to support war .

Remember Somalia ? Drag one dead US soldier through the streets of Mogadishu , get it on TV . The occupation ends ...

Thanks for sharin

EB .

What leads you to believe those missiles and drones aren't already being used by the US?

 

[kickarse]

Ha! The opinions posted here are hilarious and uninformed. Most just don't realize the enormity of US influence throughout the world. With vastly fewer people than China, The United States effectively polices the planet. If by no other comparison use aircraft carriers. The US has more, newer, better than the rest of the world combined. And I haven't even mentioned anything stealth. There really is nothing to compare to. The US military is the most powerful, far reaching in the history of mankind. US consumption drives the entire world's economy. China is the majority of the population and a drop in the bucket economically. The average American is like 2.5 Chinese. They're gigantic! Fat gobblers of goods. Nobody can out consume these fat fucks!

Lets all bow down to the mighty USA, FFS
you blokes better get in quick while you still can, maybe it will be third time lucky, had your tale between ya legs the last two times

America hasn't got the spine for a war of attrition against China/?,
no doubt we will all get dragged into it

 

[Gry]

Exactly how is the US to have a 'conflict' with the country that now is the source of basic medications that
are no longer even made in the United States ?

 

[EvergreenState]

If it would make it any easier for you,
you can always think of us as a top banana republic.



Actions do have consequences.

Oh my such wisdom!
If it makes it any easier for you, it was always easy for me, I'll help you out a bit. Since we have supposedly dropped to third world status, it really surprises me that we are still the largest economy in the world and have been so since 1871.
The U.S. has retained its position of being the world’s largest economy since 1871. The size of the U.S. economy was at $19.39 trillion in 2017 in nominal terms and is expected to reach $20.41 trillion in 2018. The U.S. is often dubbed as an economic superpower and that's because the economy constitutes almost a quarter of the global economy backed by advanced infrastructure, technology, and abundance of natural resources.
It's easy to be critical when you are profoundly ignorant of the facts. Of course the US has problems but to say it has fallen to third world status is idiotic. Also maybe you don't know what the definition of a Banana Republic is. A banana republic is an economy dependent upon the exportation of a limited-resource product, such as bananas or minerals. Yeah that's the US economy alright.

 

[St. Phatty]

A banana republic is an economy dependent upon the exportation of a limited-resource product, such as bananas or minerals. Yeah that's the US economy alright.

The US is 100% dependent on the worldwide Con that the US $ is actually worth something.

Sort of like the Empire in Star Wars, with iPhones, digitized health records, and pieces of paper with Benjamin Franklin's picture, that everybody pretends are valuable.

 

[Bobby Boucher]

Having lived a good portion of my life in the 3rd world, and having spent even more time living check to check nomadically out of my truck, I can attest to whoever said that "It's not that bad".

Surely, a capitalist would scoff at the notion that the United States is spiraling downwards. But what about our floundering educational system? The diminishing work ethic? Or how about these fuckwits trying to take down planned parenthood? The morbid obesity rates? The nonstop school shootings? The incarceration rates? ETC ETC it goes on and on.

I'm only a half-wit and even I can tell you that at the end of the day, everything boils down to education and ethics. Which we sure ain't seem to got none of.

Seems to me like we stopped giving a fuck about the next generation awhile ago. But hey, ya know that's just like.. my opinion, man.

 

[Gypsy Nirvana]

Yes - even myself as a youth (17) headed to the USA as a new immigrant from Europe - but my experience was a bit of a mixed bag.

I found the experience of this man originally from Ghana inspiring - after watching this video:

African Immigrant Explains How the American Dream Works

The American Dream is said to be dying, but one immigrant from Ghana rejects this idea. Stephen Osei immigrated to the US in the late 1970’s from Kumasi, Ghana in pursuit of a better life for him and his family. Now an American citizen, he describes his difficult story in his book ‘I Love America’ and outlines how anyone in the United States can succeed if they try. “The fact you are born poor, this doesn’t mean you grow up to be poor.”

https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=kU3xh_1547607725

*Have you experienced 'The American Dream?' - if so do let us know about it - bad or good.

 

[Gry]

Oh my such wisdom!
If it makes it any easier for you, it was always easy for me, I'll help you out a bit. Since we have supposedly dropped to third world status, it really surprises me that we are still the largest economy in the world and have been so since 1871.
The U.S. has retained its position of being the world’s largest economy since 1871. The size of the U.S. economy was at $19.39 trillion in 2017 in nominal terms and is expected to reach $20.41 trillion in 2018. The U.S. is often dubbed as an economic superpower and that's because the economy constitutes almost a quarter of the global economy backed by advanced infrastructure, technology, and abundance of natural resources.
It's easy to be critical when you are profoundly ignorant of the facts. Of course the US has problems but to say it has fallen to third world status is idiotic. Also maybe you don't know what the definition of a Banana Republic is. A banana republic is an economy dependent upon the exportation of a limited-resource product, such as bananas or minerals. Yeah that's the US economy alright.

A banana republic is a place that no longer has mastery over it's own fate.
How large an economy we have means little when we can no longer
meet our needs for basic goods.
The point of this thread was to commemorate the evisceration of a middle class I watched evaporate.
Are you easily capable of stating a perspective, minus the petty insults ?

 

[Gry]

Yes - even myself as a youth (17) headed to the USA as a new immigrant from Europe - but my experience was a bit of a mixed bag.

I found the experience of this man originally from Ghana inspiring - after watching this video:

African Immigrant Explains How the American Dream Works

The American Dream is said to be dying, but one immigrant from Ghana rejects this idea. Stephen Osei immigrated to the US in the late 1970’s from Kumasi, Ghana in pursuit of a better life for him and his family. Now an American citizen, he describes his difficult story in his book ‘I Love America’ and outlines how anyone in the United States can succeed if they try. “The fact you are born poor, this doesn’t mean you grow up to be poor.”

https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=kU3xh_1547607725

*Have you experienced 'The American Dream?' - if so do let us know about it

- bad or good.

A beautiful and touching testament Gypsy, thank you for bringing it.

 

[Gry]

Having lived a good portion of my life in the 3rd world, and having spent even more time living check to check nomadically out of my truck, I can attest to whoever said that "It's not that bad".

Surely, a capitalist would scoff at the notion that the United States is spiraling downwards. But what about our floundering educational system? The diminishing work ethic? Or how about these fuckwits trying to take down planned parenthood? The morbid obesity rates? The nonstop school shootings? The incarceration rates? ETC ETC it goes on and on.

I'm only a half-wit and even I can tell you that at the end of the day, everything boils down to education and ethics. Which we sure ain't seem to got none of.

Seems to me like we stopped giving a fuck about the next generation awhile ago. But hey, ya know that's just like.. my opinion, man.

We sure do seem to have a group of politicians who don't give a flying damn about future generations.
From my perspective they should be our first concern.

 

[Bobby Boucher]

Anyone can make money in the US. I won't argue with that. For a few years in my truck there, I was still making 80-90k dollars a year as a contractor traveling all over the country for an advertisement firm.

My story, is that I'm something on an idiot savant, emphasis on the idiot. I am one of the most dextrous people I have ever come across in my years of travel. Jack of all trades. Anything physical I pick up, I pick up it up mean and I pick it up quick. It makes me more enemies than friends. This was recognized and analyzed by the state throughout my years in the system, they just didn't know wtf to do with me.

Having had to support myself from a young age, I didn't have all the time in the world to hone these talents. So. 30 years old. Jack of all trades, master of none. Nature was on my side all the way, but Nurture was only there ... an eighth of the time. Tops.

Didn't help my parents were wrapped up in Reagans Crack-scapades for awhile there, either.

SO.

Boo.. Friggin.. Hoo.. I'll just go sedate myself with some heavy self-petting.

 

[Bobby Boucher]

I'd argue that 5% of the country, tops, can afford to pursue the kinda of endeavors that would have best suited my given talents. Even less for any kind of artistic pursuit.

 

[armedoldhippy]

We sure do seem to have a group of politicians who don't give a flying damn about future generations.
From my perspective they should be our first concern.

they end up sitting in their office alone, and they think "fuck this, i've already GOT mine! i'm retiring. screw a bunch of voters anyway. i have kissed my last smelly baby. fools..."

 

[Growcephus]

99% are not shitholes. Not by any stretch. They're just not "Western".

Sure, pal.

Complete indifference and apathy to 1st world standards, like sanitation, safety, and environmental concerns, is exactly what makes the 3rd world a part of the 3rd world. When your village doesn't have a sanitation system or indoor plumbing you shit and throw your trash wherever you want....which is why they are called "shitholes" in the first place.

Been the same regardless of nation or continent.