Why do people love the USA?

@averagejoe1 said
But what if the poll included people like Shav the Shag? They naturally voted for the wrong reasons, like, for countries where one can live on little money, but with fewer conveniences than a country like USA. ESP when the money is not theirs, it is given to them. We have to work for ours.
Don’t get me started!

Spare us the drama.

@sh76 said
I used to be kind of like that. I've become more conservative since covid and the George Floyd riots when I saw plainly that government is incapable of nuance or principled decision-making and so needs to be confined to the things you mentioned (and maybe a few others).

I'm kind of where the Republican party would be without Trump. Think John McCain.

I don't consider Trump ...[text shortened]... be involved in monetary policy, but should adhere to balanced budgets except in times of emergency.

"...and maybe a few others". True, for example public education in civics. How can a government protect all our rights equally if, as kids, we are not taught what those rights are? And also about our mutual obligation to protect one another's rights which is the agreement at the heart of civilization?

Home/free market schooling may be fine for learning how to make a living, and can be split off - maybe should be split off. But learning civics is more fundamental and a basic right. How can we expect a new adult to behave if they are not taught?

This whole movement conservative thing that Wm F Buckley started with 'God and Man at Yale' and which mushroomed into Reagan's 'government is the problem' and ended with massive tax cuts to destroy government - it got out of control. Senator Proxmire's 'Golden Fleece' award, going after government waste - sure. Government should be efficient with our money. Saying we should balance the budget - good, good. Controls inflation. But saying we can all exist WITHOUT government and taxes protecting one another's rights (a la Mises Caucus Libertarians; alt-right Republicans) is like jumping twelves sharks in a row!

@averagejoe1 said
Work has a goal to be happy, among other things, such as amassing a fortune. Making a LOT of money is the goal.

Happiness from a yellow metal? That's pathetic.

@shallow-blue said
Happiness from a yellow metal? That's pathetic.

My mom always said, "Money doesn't bring happiness - but it helps avoid unhappiness." Probably not original with her.

@spruce112358 said
My mom always said, "Money doesn't bring happiness - but it helps avoid unhappiness." Probably not original with her.

But the LOVE of money is the root of all evil.

@suzianne said
But the LOVE of money is the root of all evil.

"...that your hands shall flow with gold, and yet over you gold shall have no dominion."

@spruce112358
Yeah, you can imagine say being stuck in a caved in mine with tons of pure gold on the mine walls, just waiting to be carted out......

@suzianne said
But the LOVE of money is the root of all evil.

Money is just a proxy for creature comforts. The real root of all evil is the elevation of creature comforts over true meaning.

@spruce112358
12 sharks in a row and stumbling over the last one.....

@sh76 said
Money is just a proxy for creature comforts. The real root of all evil is the elevation of creature comforts over true meaning.

The reason the tool of money is important is that it links the present to the future. It is but a tool. It is a measuring device.

@sh76 said
Money is just a proxy for creature comforts. The real root of all evil is the elevation of creature comforts over true meaning.

It's much more than that, it's used as a measurement of what makes life good and possible, a hospital bed can be measured in dollars, even the most left lefty pollie has to admit to this when they come after your money so they can redistribute it, and make a big noise about how generous they're being.

A life and death operation is more than a creature comfort, and it is measured in dollars.

@suzianne said
But the LOVE of money is the root of all evil.

"So you think that money is the root of all evil?" said Francisco d'Anconia. "Have you ever asked what is the root of money?"

I post this link fairly regularly, it triggers the hell out of ATY, but mostly it speaks to suzimans quote, and shallow blues 'pathetic' post just above.

https://www.capitalismmagazine.com/2002/08/franciscos-money-speech/

It's not 'the' money, it's what that money represents, what man has created.

Ayn Rand:

"So long as men live together on earth and need means to deal with one another—their only substitute, if they abandon money, is the muzzle of a gun."

@wajoma said
"So you think that money is the root of all evil?" said Francisco d'Anconia. "Have you ever asked what is the root of money?"

I post this link fairly regularly, it triggers the hell out of ATY, but mostly it speaks to suzimans quote, and shallow blues 'pathetic' post just above.

https://www.capitalismmagazine.com/2002/08/franciscos-money-speech/

It's not 'the' ...[text shortened]... to deal with one another—their only substitute, if they abandon money, is the muzzle of a gun."[/i]

Begs the question......if money were not the mode of exchange, free enterprise, what-have-you, what would we do instead. Maybe Ayn (I call her Ayn, myself) was right???? If she were only here....... 😢

@spruce112358 said
My mom always said, "Money doesn't bring happiness - but it helps avoid unhappiness." Probably not original with her.

True-ish - but that's only true for enough money, not for moar moar moar.

@wajoma said
"So you think that money is the root of all evil?" said Francisco d'Anconia. "Have you ever asked what is the root of money?"

I post this link fairly regularly, it triggers the hell out of ATY, but mostly it speaks to suzimans quote, and shallow blues 'pathetic' post just above.

https://www.capitalismmagazine.com/2002/08/franciscos-money-speech/

It's not 'the' ...[text shortened]... to deal with one another—their only substitute, if they abandon money, is the muzzle of a gun."[/i]

ATYDS