[Ryzorian]

I'm American, and proud of it. I guess I would be "Tea Party". I'm also a vet and proud of that too. I was sent to Germany for 6 months dureing desert storm, was two weeks from going to Iraq but then it ended. MY brother has been to several places in the Middle east dureing the last 10 years includeing bagdad, but he never left the base.

Americans are no where near as patriotic as they were 60 years ago, wich is a shame really, been influenced by Europe too much after WW2. Still, most Americans believe we have the best model of self government that has ever been created to date. So yes, we do think we are number 1.

Other's can disagree, that's fine, I'm not going to get all up in your grill about it if you do. Plus, I can agree that the US has lost much of what it was orgianlly founded on. That many of our guiding princeables have been overshadowed by Washington DC. The Federal government has gotten out of controle and almost acts as a seperate entity all together.

There are almost two USA's now, the normal one where the citizens live and the Fed, who seems to be seperated from us. No Bobby, it isn't just Bush, it's the whole Federal system, DC is out of balance with the states.

Generally speaking the Consitution is very strict about war and when the US can deploy troops. DC has not declared a war since 1941.

Idealy in America you have an individual right to live and seek success with out government interference. All the government is supposed to do is protect you from others trying to take that right away. Here, everyone can become rich through hard work and dedication. There is no cast system, you are free to succeed or fail on your own merit.

That's what the constitution states and generally we try to live by it. True it's been difficult, even fought a civil war over it that killed over 600,000. That's the most deaths due to war in any American engagement. But we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men (women included, had to fight over that too) are created equal, with certain enailable rights, endowed by thier creator, amoung them Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Give me Liberty or give me death, it's not just a motto here.