So...when, exactly, was America greater than she is now?

[Glen Contrarian]

Trump's slogan is "Make America Great Again", so the obvious inference is that America is not great now, but once was greater than she is now. So when was America greater than she is now, and why?

 

[Surrealistik]

This should have been multiple choice so we could select several ranges.

 

[joG]

Trump's slogan is "Make America Great Again", so the obvious inference is that America is not great now, but once was greater than she is now. So when was America greater than she is now, and why?

Of course, one needs to say, what "great" is to mean in the context, but it is hard to think of a time, when the US was more powerful or wealthier than today, was more alert to equal rights or had a population with so much buying power. The other side of the coin is that our population is hysterical and the Constitution is loosing the level of protection it should afford citizens from government interference.

 

[Glen Contrarian]

This should have been multiple choice so we could select several ranges.

What ranges were when America was greater than today?

 

[Glen Contrarian]

Of course, one needs to say, what "great" is to mean in the context, but it is hard to think of a time, when the US was more powerful or wealthier than today, was more alert to equal rights or had a population with so much buying power. The other side of the coin is that our population is hysterical and the Constitution is loosing the level of protection it should afford citizens from government interference.

No, our population is not hysterical - but a certain portion of it is. And despite the Patriot Act and all the other "attacks on our freedoms", when was there a time when the American people - ALL the American people (and not just white males) were more free than today?

 

[joG]

No, our population is not hysterical - but a certain portion of it is. And despite the Patriot Act and all the other "attacks on our freedoms", when was there a time when the American people - ALL the American people (and not just white males) were more free than today?

As I said, by most items we are doing okay. But, when you have Trump, Clinton and BS as the most successful in a Presidential campaign, you know, you have a bad problem with the prevailing balance of mind of the people.

 

[Abbazorkzog]

The Kennedy Administration.

 

[Manc Skipper]

 

[ocean515]

I think when growth in domestic prosperity and impact on world affairs are considered, one would have to pick the '80's.

 

[PeteEU]

As an outsider, I would say that it would be the early 50s to the middle 60s. That was the US glory days.. dragging it self and the world out of a ditch, but then it went slowly the wrong way. Before WW2 the US was nothing, and since Nixon it has been in steady decline politically and economically. The real decline started with Reagan and excelerated with Bush 2. It fits the pattern of all empires, just in a much smaller time frame.

 

[WCH]

Trump's slogan is "Make America Great Again", so the obvious inference is that America is not great now, but once was greater than she is now. So when was America greater than she is now, and why?

If he only referencing before we were $19.4 trillion in debt, that would be enough.
Between 1950 and 1975 comes to mind.

Extreme debt is a major drag.

 

[tres borrachos]

I wish we could have made multiple selections. I would have chosen Reagan 1980 AND Clinton years.

 

[Russell797]

No option for never been greater than today? More people enjoy comfortable lives today than at any time in human history. Stop complaining.

 

[Fledermaus]

What ranges were when America was greater than today?

The problem is great for who and in what way. The early 60s for example was a time of great hope but much of the nation was still in the early stages of the civil rights movement, the fear of the bomb and the genders were strictly defined.

The 1920s too were a great time save for the crash at the end and millions dying from various diseases.

 

[ocean515]

As an outsider, I would say that it would be the early 50s to the middle 60s. That was the US glory days.. dragging it self and the world out of a ditch, but then it went slowly the wrong way. Before WW2 the US was nothing, and since Nixon it has been in steady decline politically and economically. The real decline started with Reagan and excelerated with Bush 2. It fits the pattern of all empires, just in a much smaller time frame.

Interesting take.

The US played a rather significant role to bring an end to WW1. By 1915, the US produced almost 1/3rd of the worlds industrial output.

The Second Industrial Revolution, 1870-1914 - US History Scene

Yet you claim the US was nothing prior to WWII.

I think your view might best be described as jaundiced.

 

[Fletch]

As an outsider, I would say that it would be the early 50s to the middle 60s. That was the US glory days.. dragging it self and the world out of a ditch, but then it went slowly the wrong way. Before WW2 the US was nothing, and since Nixon it has been in steady decline politically and economically. The real decline started with Reagan and excelerated with Bush 2. It fits the pattern of all empires, just in a much smaller time frame.

Ah, you were doing so well. I think the first half of your post is exactly right--the 40's, the 50's and the early 60's would strike me as the most nostalgic period of modern American history. The decline, of course, started with Johnson (whom you liberals always conveniently forget to mention). Vietnam was his war, and the turmoil that war caused is what started the decline.

 

[PeteEU]

Ah, you were doing so well. I think the first half of your post is exactly right--the 40's, the 50's and the early 60's would strike me as the most nostalgic period of modern American history. The decline, of course, started with Johnson (whom you liberals always conveniently forget to mention). Vietnam was his war, and the turmoil that war caused is what started the decline.

Yes and no. The decline came because of the loss in Vietnam and the mental blockage that happened after this. Reagan got the US out of the mental blockage, but created an economic policy that has lead to massive debt and economic decline for the majority of the American population.

 

[gdgyva]

depends on what you mean in your OP

to me, the early 50's through the late 60's were our best years

not for everything....but for most things

economically, we were unchallenged in the world

we still had the "family unit" for the most part....divorces happened, but they werent 50% of marriages yet

most kids had a mom and a dad to help them get started in life

yes, we had social ills....racism and civil rights

we were in the midst of the vietnam war....

but we were the big kid on the block, and we had the lustre of being the biggest, baddest, and the place where dreams came true

if you want to pick a particular time....i think that is what Trump is talking about

hell, most families still made do with just pop working....

 

[Fletch]

Yes and no. The decline came because of the loss in Vietnam and the mental blockage that happened after this. Reagan got the US out of the mental blockage, but created an economic policy that has lead to massive debt and economic decline for the majority of the American population.

Totally wrong. The decline was because of the war itself. The loss didn't come until 1975, social turmoil and upheaval had been going on for nearly a decade prior. As for debt, we have been told by you liberals for the last 8 years that debt is good--unless Reagan ran it up apparently. Reagan has been out of office for nearly 30 years and you liberals still blame everything bad on him. That's a joke particularly when you consider democrats have controlled the White house for the majority of the time since. But sure, like a typical liberal you ignore the economic and social distress brought about by leftists like Johnson and Carter and blame everything on Reagan. That's just pure nonsense and political hackery.

 

[ALiberalModerate]

I think we are as great as we have ever been. We have had the only major developed economy on earth with consistent growth since the Financial Crisis. We are still the world's only superpower and spend more on defense than the next several nations combined. Our crime rates are much lower than they have been in the past, our quality of life is still one of the best in the world. Some people would bitch if they were hung with a new rope..

 

[Master PO]

the creator of the OP lists dates that he chose.

i would have said 1870 to 1910 in keeping it in 40 year increments.

 

[Eric7216]

I think we are as great as we have ever been. We have had the only major developed economy on earth with consistent growth since the Financial Crisis. We are still the world's only superpower and spend more on defense than the next several nations combined. Our crime rates are much lower than they have been in the past, our quality of life is still one of the best in the world. Some people would bitch if they were hung with a new rope..

We are the only developed country lacking universal health care with over 35 million uninsured. We have had little economic growth for most people for more than 10 years, perhaps 35 years. Our inequality grows annually. Crime, after years of dropping, is on the increase. Racial tensions and general social alienation is at the highest point since the 60s. We have been engaged in numerous wars overseas for 13 years, without a stop. Families are falling apart. Our quality of life, compared to the rest of the world, has been dropping.

 

[faithful_servant]

What ranges were when America was greater than today?

The Reagan years when we stopped the greatest threat to world peace that this planet has ever seen. When we pulled ourselves out of a financial hole dug by a decade and a half of governmental stupidity. When we were the standard that the rest of the world sought to emulate. Of course, you'll cherry-pick bits and pieces to try to prove that it wasn't so great, you'll claim that we didn't do anything to bring down the USSR, that the recovery and following 12 years of prosperity were all due to liberal policies.

 

[ALiberalModerate]

We are the only developed country lacking universal health care with over 35 million uninsured. We have had little economic growth for most people for more than 10 years, perhaps 35 years. Our inequality grows annually. Crime, after years of dropping, is on the increase. Racial tensions and general social alienation is at the highest point since the 60s. We have been engaged in numerous wars overseas for 13 years, without a stop. Families are falling apart. Our quality of life, compared to the rest of the world, has been dropping.

1. We have always been the only developed country on earth without universal health care because we can't get have the country to realize that every other country has figured out that health care does not conform the laws of supply and demand and thus must be either extremely heavily regulated or socialized.

2. Inequality is not just growing here, its growing in every other developed nation on earth.

3. Crime rates have had a very, very modest increase and are still lower than they have been in just about any other time in our nation's history.

4. Our quality of life is still better than any other large developed country. Unless you are talking about Norway, Switzerland, or Denmark, we got everybody else beat by a decent margin. Just look at our per-capita GDP PPP and compare it to other large developed nations.

That is not to say we don't have problems, but our problems are not as bad as much of the rest of the developed world's problems.

 

[PeteEU]

Interesting take.

The US played a rather significant role to bring an end to WW1.

Significant yes, but so what? It was not a world power and had to be dragged into the war. It was on the way up.. that is another matter, but it was not "big" like France, UK, Germany, and others. It was relatively insignificant. A young nation with imperial aspirations, that was held back by nationalistic and internal conflicts.

By 1915, the US produced almost 1/3rd of the worlds industrial output.

Not that hard when its direct competitors are in a draining war...and the size of the country/population. The British Empire probably stood for over 1/3 alone..

Yet you claim the US was nothing prior to WWII.

On the world stage it was not. The British and French never saw it as something other than an irritation. That of course changed once the US started getting its own imperialistic ideas. Then suddenly the US became a threat .. for Asia to Europe. Once the war was over, the US had taken the British Empires spot as the major power on the planet....