[quote=@POOHEAD189]

I think the U.S. has a very competent and rich, and successful history, but it's stagnant.  
[/quote]

It is easy to underestimate the cultural power that the United States has. It still sets the trends world wide in art and culture, certainly in popular culture.

It is interesting how people here view the Government as both omnicompetent enough to run massive conspiracies and yet too incompetent to handle its own basic functions.