What Makes America Great

CoG, you are well beyond help, I am only posting to save those who might become influenced by your effluence. Originally Posted by essence

I will say it, SOF is an idiot!

Ahhhh, I feel better now!

I am truly appalled by some of the responses on this thread. Seriously, people. How ignorant can you be?

First, what is wrong with making money?

What do you spend better than half your waking hours doing? Making money.
Why did you choose the job you're in? To make money.
What would most of you like to do? Make more money.
Why did Henry Ford invent the assembly line? To make money.
Why was Edison so adamant about beating Tesla to the patent office? To make money.
Why did Bill Gates steal, er, I mean, invent the Windows operating system? To make money.
Why did the Hewlitt Packard guys start a business in their garage? To make money.
Why did Steve Jobs start Apple computer? To make money.
Why did we bail out GM? They needed to make money.
Why did you (or your boss) start the business you're in? To make money.
You make money by helping your boss make money.
Why does the grocery store exist? To make money.
Why does Boeing exist? To make money.

Why is (was) America the greatest country in the world? We let people MAKE MONEY! And up until recently, they got to keep their money.

Where does innovation get it's start? Someone wants to make money!
Why do you want a better car? You made money, and want to improve your lot.
Why does the automaker make better cars. To make money from people who want to improve their lot.
Why do hotels exist? To make money.
Why do providers do what they do? To make money.

When was Jesus ever against making money? In the Parable of the Talents, the servants who were honored were the ones that – wait for it – MADE MONEY!!

And why are we discussing Jesus anyway? Oh yes, our socialist American hater brought Him up.

You clowns think that making money is bad, then quit your jobs and close your businesses.

What was the difference between the US and the USSR? In the USSR, the government decided who could make money. Are you seeing a trend?

The freedom to make money is what made America the most prosperous and richest nation the world has ever seen. It's people like you scoffers who will destroy her. And it's simply because you're ignorant of what made us great. And you think that compassion lies with government doing everything for you.

I feel sorry for you. And I hurt for my country.

And I hurt for my country. Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

Great, pack it up and move to Damascus. You and Rush can play footsies on the flight over there!

BTW, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!

I am truly appalled by some of the responses on this thread. Seriously, people. How ignorant can you be?

First, what is wrong with making money?

What do you spend better than half your waking hours doing? Making money.
Why did you choose the job you're in? To make money.
What would most of you like to do? Make more money.
Why did Henry Ford invent the assembly line? To make money.
Why was Edison so adamant about beating Tesla to the patent office? To make money.
Why did Bill Gates steal, er, I mean, invent the Windows operating system? To make money.
Why did the Hewlitt Packard guys start a business in their garage? To make money.
Why did Steve Jobs start Apple computer? To make money.
Why did we bail out GM? They needed to make money.
Why did you (or your boss) start the business you're in? To make money.
You make money by helping your boss make money.
Why does the grocery store exist? To make money.
Why does Boeing exist? To make money.

Why is (was) America the greatest country in the world? We let people MAKE MONEY! And up until recently, they got to keep their money.

Where does innovation get it's start? Someone wants to make money!
Why do you want a better car? You made money, and want to improve your lot.
Why does the automaker make better cars. To make money from people who want to improve their lot.
Why do hotels exist? To make money.
Why do providers do what they do? To make money.

When was Jesus ever against making money? In the Parable of the Talents, the servants who were honored were the ones that – wait for it – MADE MONEY!!

And why are we discussing Jesus anyway? Oh yes, our socialist American hater brought Him up.

You clowns think that making money is bad, then quit your jobs and close your businesses.

What was the difference between the US and the USSR? In the USSR, the government decided who could make money. Are you seeing a trend?

The freedom to make money is what made America the most prosperous and richest nation the world has ever seen. It's people like you scoffers who will destroy her. And it's simply because you're ignorant of what made us great. And you think that compassion lies with government doing everything for you.

I feel sorry for you. And I hurt for my country. Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

Here are few more lines from Atlas Shrugged from the same speech you quoted from.

“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? Money is a tool of exchange, which can’t exist unless there are goods produced and men able to produce them. Money is the material shape of the principle that men who wish to deal with one another must deal by trade and give value for value. Money is not the tool of the moochers, who claim your product by tears, or of the looters, who take it from you by force. Money is made possible only by the men who produce. Is this what you consider evil?

Adam Smith taught that, in a capitalist system, the individual's pursuit of self interest, benefits the whole. Bill Gates has done more to alleviate human suffering than Mother Teresa. Gates wasn't seen as a humanitarian (before he set up the Gates Foundation) because he was motivated by a desire to make money, not by a desire to help mankind. America's capitalist system has done more to benefit mankind than any other country in history. America's contribtuion to the world was a side effect of our desire to make money, but it doesn't diminish our contribution to the world.

"I believe that every individual is naturally entitled to do as he pleases with himself and the fruits of his labor, so far as it in no way interferes with any other men's rights." – Abraham Lincoln

In the west money is an exchange. My services for your representation of goods, ie.; money. Your money represents your industry, imagination, and creativity. There is nothing wrong with making money or as the case may be providing a desirable service to the community (providers should understand this). Sometimes that service is illicit and harmfull like the drug trade. That is not money's fault it is merely the representation of success.
Accumulating money is not a sin. This is where the love of money thing is important. A rich man can do a great deal of good while supporting his vices. He can spend his money on providers, liquor, and fun like Charlie Sheen or she can blow her inherited money on little dogs and rediculously expensive clothing like Paris Hilton. Someone has to provide those things for the rich and they get paid in return. Someone who loves their money would hoard it and no one will ever benefit from it while it sets in Scrooge McDuck's vault.

Jesus was not opposed to making money, He was opposed to the hoarding of it. Money in motion helps everyone. That's why the good and faithful servants in the Parable of the Talents were honored. They took their master's money, and made more. The one who hoarded his money was fired. (And btw, it was St. Paul who said the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, not Jesus.) And why we are discussing Jesus on a SHMB is beyond me. Not all of us here are Christian, and none of us are practicing Christians, so using the Bible to make a point is, well, pointless.

The reason America became the greatest, most prosperous country in history is that we had much fewer restrictions on who could make money than the world has seen before. That is changing, and not for the better, but that was the reason behind our greatness. Freedom led to industry, and industry to prosperity. Now that we are restricting liberty, watch what happens to industry and prosperity. It isn't looking good. Those who want to trade liberty for security are destroying this country.

. It must mean something. Atlas Shrugged is still selling briskly after all these years. It's sold more that one million copies since Obama was elected. Not bad for a book published 55 years ago. Originally Posted by joe bloe

It means that there are a bunch of fucked up people in this country if thet read that shit and take it to heart.

Id buy ever single one of them a one way ticket to Colorado!

Spoken like a true Obamaton. Thanks for finally revealing your true self, WTF.

I am truly appalled by some of the responses on this thread. Seriously, people. How ignorant can you be?

First, what is wrong with making money? Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

I don't think anyone said there's anything wrong with making money, so you pretty much wasted your time.

Why is (was) America the greatest country in the world? We let people MAKE MONEY! And up until recently, they got to keep their money.

Really? And other countries don't? Are you serious with this?

You clowns think that making money is bad, then quit your jobs and close your businesses.

The straw-man king strikes again!

And I hurt for my country.

Don't blame me. Blame your loony imagination.

"Ask yourself: What made our Greatest Generation great? First, the problems they faced were huge, merciless and inescapable: the Depression, Nazism and Soviet Communism. Second, the Greatest Generation’s leaders were never afraid to ask Americans to sacrifice. Third, that generation was ready to sacrifice, and pull together, for the good of the country. And fourth, because they were ready to do hard things, they earned global leadership the only way you can, by saying: “Follow me.”

"We have had a values breakdown — a national epidemic of get-rich-quickism and something-for-nothingism. Wall Street may have been dealing the dope, but our lawmakers encouraged it. And far too many of us were happy to buy the dot-com and subprime crack for quick prosperity highs".

"Contrast that with the Baby Boomer Generation. Our big problems are unfolding incrementally — the decline in U.S. education, competitiveness and infrastructure, as well as oil addiction and climate change. Our generation’s leaders never dare utter the word “sacrifice.” All solutions must be painless. Which drug would you like? A stimulus from Democrats or a tax cut from Republicans? A national energy policy? Too hard. For a decade we sent our best minds not to make computer chips in Silicon Valley but to make poker chips on Wall Street, while telling ourselves we could have the American dream — a home — without saving and investing, for nothing down and nothing to pay for two years. Our leadership message to the world (except for our brave soldiers): “After you.”

NY Times Article

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We use to be a country of people that were united. We are not that anymore. We use to be a country where you knew your neighbors, you watched each others kids, you had neighborhood block parties/barbeques. We are now alone driving home from our jobs day in day out to our garages shutting the garage door behind us and spending more time on a computer than with "live" people our neighbors our friends. Everything has become anonymous behind a computer screen. We are now so easily confused by a media that no longer gives us unbiased news or good journalism.

We have become much more multicultural over the years but it seems we are no more farther ahead or advanced from the racism of the pre 1950's era. All of that was just swept in a closet or under a rug festering like an old wound that never healed only to explode through out this country like an infection that went undetected after electing our first black president. This country was once the top in education, and our students far excelled other countries in math and science and we had a huge influx of entrepreneurs that invented wonderful things, making things of real value (tangible things), but now it is hard to find that these days in America except if your watching a show called Shark Tank. Which gives the impression that we are still abundant with inventors and entrepreneurs, but it is a false impression. We are slowly declining from all these things.

However we can reinvigorate this country get back to being top in education, and entrepreneurship, get back to the core values and principals we once had. I am not talking about any religious ideological values but common sense values that were the core of America and her growth and greatness in years passed.

We can no longer say we are the "home of the free".. because most other countries have now become free, and those that aren't are beginning to change toward freedom. We see that with what has happened in Egypt and other countries whose youth and people are pushing for democracy and freedom.

We cannot claim those things we once did as being what makes us truly great. So many other countries can claim those things too now.

It isn't about going back to an era from the past that we so fondly remember euphorically, but changing with the times, moving forward and excelling in the things that could make us a country that is great again. It means letting go old outdated ideas and embracing new ones. Being able to see that as we move forward into the future and as time and people change that a new adventure is ahead of us and learning to adapt and change with our new future.

No, it's not about making money.. but its about something much deeper that will propel us into the future of being the greatest country on earth again. But the question is are we willing to change? Are we willing to move forward or cling to old ideas, old habits that now no longer work in these times?

It is easy for Americans to be arrogant about the "greatness" this country once had. We find it offensive to even utter such blasphemy that we are not the greatest country in the world anymore. But arrogance won't move us to a greater future. It may only hinder us.

Sensia

I don't think this country is so great. We are among the lowest in medical coverage of the western world, we wage unjust wars against innocent countries, our politicians are probably more corrupt than at any other time in our history, we can't acknowledge that our love of God has been surpassed by the greedy need to "make money". We have little desire to help fellow Americans around us saying it's not my responsibility to take care of my neighbor!

Doofie, you don't even read your own posts, do you? You were one of the first to be shocked at the thought of making money.

America is not the only country where one can (could) make money. But we were the first. Read the quote.

“ the proudest distinction of Americans.... they were the people who created the phrase 'to make money'. Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

That is what you quoted. So you think the proudest distinction is the fact that they/we created a phrase?

It's not saying that the proudest achievement is the contribution to democracy, freedom, world peace, alleviating poverty, science, engineering, the arts, encouraging commerce, bringing harmony between races and cultures, enforcing justice, fighting for freedom with lives, or anything else.

No, the best thing you can say about americans is that they made up a phrase.

With anti-americans like you, who has such a low opinion of your fellow americans, I despair.

That is what you quoted. So you think the proudest distinction is the fact that they/we created a phrase?

It's not saying that the proudest achievement is the contribution to democracy, freedom, world peace, alleviating poverty, science, engineering, the arts, encouraging commerce, bringing harmony between races and cultures, enforcing justice, fighting for freedom with lives, or anything else.

No, the best thing you can say about americans is that they made up a phrase.

With anti-americans like you, who has such a low opinion of your fellow americans, I despair. Originally Posted by essence

COG is proud that this country created the phrase 'to make money'.. I swear, Nurse Ratchett lets him out on a hall pass again and I will broadcast the World Series aloud again to these nuts!