Yes Willow, I am naive and outfront with that, because I want to elicit the entire story.
I could say what I know and feel about the good presence the United States has had in the history of the world, but I sense a climate here where everything I say will be picked apart.
In all fairness, that's much better than the pm's and behind the back insincerity, you all stand up and say what you feel and think. Also, this is everywhere, and at least the Cool Earth Party is trying to do something about not only what they see as what's wrong with this country, but hopefully as the tribe name suggests, make the planet a better place without wiping out America.
If the Bush administration does not have the support of the majority of the United States, then why couldn't Gore and Kerry build up bigger voting bases so there were never close or controversial elections?
Gore is an impressive person, but the U.S. President has to comfort the people and represent us to the world, and to make Bush seem better at this is a sad statement.
I was told that Al decided to wear blue jeans and start relating to the average American about two months before the November election. Kerry was a nice enough guy, but maybe not presidential material. Why did the Democrats get so delusional about the chances of these two men, and why so much finger pointing and infighting?
As far as telling the whole side of the story, I am no fan of President Bush, but I haven't lost touch with the fact that he is a twice elected president and I don't fall under the temptation which is one of my beefs about this country, where we target our most famous and accomplished first, then sit back and enjoy the train wreck. I think this is where the stereotype of our citizens may be an embarrassment.
I know I can seem an asshole sometimes and naive at others, but you did invite me here for some reason.
The subject of this forum is 'thank goodness the media is finally saying what a bad job this administration is doing". Huh?
George W. Bush has the prototype environmentally state of the art home, with many of the things you'll see in the future worldwide. He has kept us safe since September 11th, and has said many time we need to come up with a new energy source, as McCain is saying.
I know you all think they're lying, how shocking for someone to do in politics!
The only reason this guy kept getting what he wanted is everyone wanted so desperately to believe he was the village idiot, he cleaned up, with a high I.Q. and being underestimated.
I have my own personal reasons to more than dislike the lame duck president, and it wouldn't shock me if he was aware of that, but he is the first polititian to do what he thinks is right, and never caved to public opinion or how he'll be remembered in history.
He may be remembered as being misuderstood and actually did a good job, it may ben generations from now, but he made up his mind and did what he felt he had to do.
He doesn't take himself that seriously. I really like Bill Clinton, but before Bush, Bill was the least vain president, not that all the other were so much.
Bush may be remembered as the worst president we've ever had, as most, including myself, feel and think at this time. Doesn't matter, even his staunchest haters probably agree that he felt the right thing was more important than any personal goal.
If he's remembered any way at all in a generation or two, he either was doing the right thing, as it's a miracle we wake up every morning and has been in the entire history of the world, or we as a planet got very very lucky...
If 'even' Republicans are opposed to what is said Bush does and does alone, then how can it be an evil conspirosy?
There is a hole in the ground in my city and many good men dead. The Iraqi civilians the most tragic of all, but most not by the hands of this country.
We ran and ran with the U.S.S. Cole and the other acts against America, because as I felt and still feel, you must always avoid war, violence and all fights at all costs. You can never win those, or even an arguement, debate or chess game, because there's always tomorrow.
This is the coldest thing you may have ever heard, but 3000+ dead in Manhattan and all those good young men in the two wars are a black eye and bloody nose compared to the natural and manmade disaters worldwide. If we are to be an open society, then we risk this. Kill innocent people and you will be punished.
I am so heartbroken over all this and Iraq. If there is any postive, Islam, the religion, not the milatary goals, which is just that, not anything spiritual, has become publicized and more popular than ever, and I don't see America compaining. New York City has stopped thinking of Muslim and Arabic culture as anything from exotic to alien, it's familiar, accepted and perhaps discrimination is diminishing toward that culure here, after many sad occurances to innocent people by idiots a few years ago.
I happen to live in an Afghani and Pakistani neighborhood. There aren't very many Arabic people in my part of New York, and I have news for you, most are third generation Americans, more American than most of us.
For such a wicked place, sorry Willow, rather, a place run by wicked people, we embrace every culture, want to learn and become more like everyone and want to change ourselves, not anyone else or impose...
We love Canadians who hate us, and many want to know why so we can learn and change.
I want to know the truth as badly as all of you. If you are telling the truth, only in America will the guilty be brought to justice.
If there is any truth in what the government says, don't we need to resolve this? No one wants war, but has there ever been peace that didn't follow one? I wish we can neither embrace enemies, nor exclusively take it to them, which is why I love this tribe, Tribe and the internet so much!
You're right about the right to say anything, isn't that a great thing about us?
I only said if you use an open door policy in a free open society to plot it's downfall from within, that's the worst offense.
If what you say is true Willow, we must keep telling that truth, if what Bush says is true, then we need to keep telling the truth.
How can two people tell two opposite viewpoints and both be right? Simple, that's reality. And there are more than two sides, otherwise it would be a line drawing.

"... too many cases of the U.S. making "rulings" that favour ...to be impartial and knowledgeable enough to continue in that role. The U.S. is a young soul without ..."
.
This is a good point Willow.
What do we do when a child has misbehaved or failed, due to inexperience?
Also, how do you see the world existing if there never was an America?
You say you only have problems with the goverment of your neighbor, not it's people, like the U.S. has said about...say China, but we also have a checks and balance system which insures safeguards against corruption and power that has gone awry.
Why don't we invite Republican and hard line Democrats to this tribe so we can have a well rounded debate, because after all, even if your facts are verified, to give a part of the story is slander of a country that has done many good things, and some say slander is a form of living death.

"...green power at this point, we would have green/electric cars, and everything we use would be recycled..."

So what you're saying is, that when the president has the most advanced prototype of an environmentally friendly house of the future and when he promises every state of the union to find new energy sources and that his own oil company is investing billions in research, that he is lying through his teeth to put more and more money in his pocket?
What I really agree with you about, is that to seperate the upper and lower class so dramatically, eliminating the middle practically, is like removing the foundation of a building.
If people as me, who labor and barely get by, can't get the very few things they need to be happy and healthy, then how can I and the rest perform to keep the affluent comfortable?

"3) We created comic books and jazz music. - If I'm not mistaken, jazz was created by people who were brought to America as slave labour?"

Well, I know I wasn't a part of that, as I have lived most of my life in poverty.
The Americans can never apologize enough for the treatment of Native Americans, and they should be our most honored, celebrated and taken care of citizens, a travesty.
The reality is, as far as I have been told, that the Native Americans had slaves as well, from Africa.

"4) We welcome every culture and faith and never want them to change one bit. - Hmm...highly contentious.

Can you give me one example?

"5) We ultimately want peace and freedom worldwide. - Ummm...all right. I have so many points to oppose this that I don't really know where to start. You can't create peace by waging war. That's a big point I think people are missing... "

I finally found out the hole in the ground in my city was caused by dinosaurs who have actually evolved into what we know as giant squirrels. The Giant Squirrels stomped the twin towers into submission.

"6) We want nuclear disarmament. - I believe the U.S. wants nuclear disarmament of all countries but itself and its allies. There's a difference there."

I believe the United States and every single country in the world is full of both good people, bad people and some in between.
What would the world have been like if the Axis powers had won?

"...do not believe George Bush Jr. is corrupt and operating unchecked, I really don't know what to say. Again, members of his own party believe he should be impeached."

So...when Senator Carl Levin of Michigan stopped the president's funding to Iraq and what you have just said, we know to be true, it is really a conspirocy so well acted and executed, the only victims are the good people who want The New Cool Earth, like you, me, Steven and George Bush? Doesn't the president have children?

" The majority of the country is opposed to his rule...and if the corporate-owned media actually educated the people about what is going on, rather than propagandizing them, more would be opposed to what he is doing. He was elected amid a huge scandal the first time..."

Well, you obviously have an influence on how we vote, thanks to the first amendment and previous points I've made. Did Al Gore throw the election? If he hadn't done the worst campaigning in history, or close to it, there would have been no controversy.

"and probably was not the real winner of the election."

The electoral college is to insure the cities of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles do not pick every president, which would be Democrat. I am a Democrat, and by your own admission, from what you have learned about our politics, there would then be no checks and balances. Thank goodness we have freedom of speech.

"He continues to wage a war that the majority of people oppose, using borrowed money, while the infrastructure of the country (health care, education, social programs) crumble. He does not care because he and his administration are going to make masses of cash from the oil they are now securing and no-bid "rebuilding" contracts...and the rest of the country be damned. This is not corrupt?"

Because this adminstration hates their own children so much, they want us all to die screaming, and they can be smiling holding martinis and money bags?

"...in the hands of corporations than in the hands of elected governments."

Big problems. Being The Cool Earth Party, a positive name of so far, a negative tribe Steven has invited me to, what exactly is the answer to this dilemna?
There probably are people who have worked so hard to become wealthy they have lost perspective. If the Universe can see, it would see the richest man is the poorest, because he wants the most.

"The Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War (not a "real" war...but war-related)"

Can they be related?
Question? How long in human history, combined, has there been worldwide peace?
Estimation...Two weeks?

"counterculture revolutionaries - just a few examples I can think of off the top of my head."

So what's the answer?
People want to think of the good things about the sixties, and the ideals.
A philosopher in the 12th Century said people's differences are the most superficial of details. He was nearly killed as a heretic. I think by the 1950's we finally believed him, oh wait, you say the United States is the worst country in the world...

"...friends with our enemies, hopefully sooner than later. - Again...fairly naive."

I want to be optimistic.
Do you think these guys want to fight the same people for generations? I know some want to fight us.

"...not friendship when one side is coercing the other... "

Countries having interests in other countries only takes a back seat to what the whole world wants, and the Universe.