why america is great...

anyone seen "thank you for smoking"? the kid in the movie has to write an essay about why america has the greatest government in the world. i don't remember what the essay ended up saying. i just remember the lesson that the dad (aaron eckhart) taught his kid - there is no wrong answer to that question.
i don't think they were talking about the current administration - or any specific administration. they meant the process of government. the united states' constitution provides a means for our government to evolve based on the needs (or voted wants) of the people. i think that's pretty incredible.
i also love america's landscape. can anyone believe that the white stuff cap'n jack wades through in the latest pirates installment is actually in a real place? the salt flats in utah - arguably one of the most incredible sights i have ever seen. right up there with the mountain goats romping over crags/glaciers up in the rockies, deception pass in washington state, the moss-covered hangy trees in south carolina, flowers blooming amidst the sand dunes in death valley, and full autumn colors in the appalachians. all of the above take my breath away. i don't have awesome photos like janes, but i'm glad to claim the locations as 1/300,000,000th mine.
i'm also a big fan of the rights we are guaranteed - freedom of speech, the press, of peaceful assembly, of fair trade and labor, and the right to sue the asses off anyone who violates any of our other rights. not that i've sued anyone, but i love the fact that power in the hands of the people helps keep our government from being totally corrupt. not that there aren't crooked politicians, but they're not even close to as bad as, say, mexico's corrupt system.
i also like the newness of our country. other places i've been have been pretty steeped in tradition, but here we are free to, in essence, shop around for which traditions and customs we'll carry on. that's cool.
i know this is going to sound weird, but i also like that we have all kinds of safety regulations. i like knowing that any food or drug i buy has been prepared in such a manner as to seriously reduce my risk of illness. i like knowing that i'm not going to get dyssentary from my water or anything like that (yes, i know that crazy things still happen sometimes, but the probability is so low here compared to other countries). the regulations make me feel safer.
finally, i love that we are so into humor here. there is so much in america that is, or can be, really funny. we make funny tv shows, movies, music, conversations, slogans on clothes, sayings, shoot, we have jib-jab and strongbad, beavis and butthead, team america, weird al, larry the cable guy, jerry seinfeld, bill cosby, bad cat, laughter is the best medicine (in readers' digest), dr. seuss, and so much more! i've never been to another country whose citizens spent so much time laughing out loud. how awesome is that?!?