I've lived in the US a long time, and have met many Brits over the course of time. I have never met a Brit in all that time that wanted to go back to the UK. I had a friend whose daughter had twins, and decided to go back to Rhyl, because she thought it would be easier to bring up children there. She lasted 18 months and went back to Seattle.

I think this forum draws an unhappy crowd, because I certainly don't find these people where I live.

As far as Americans bragging and saying USA is best, I've been married to an American for years, and I've never heard him say that. He lived in Europe for 3-1/2 years, and likes both places. We both prefer to live here because it's a great lifestyle.

We plan to take long trips back when he retires, but our home will always be here. It's Thanksgiving day, the sun is out, and after lunch we will take the boat out on the lake and have a few drinks.

I tend to agree with you especially now that I have moved to Grass Valley CA there are so many Brits it's unreal especially for a quiet out of the way location, I am always bumping into them and they love it here as do I.....I cannot think of a person either in reality that I have ever met from the UK that wants to move back, they might get homesick and miss some things but to move back never!!

Sorry - I don't understand your question? Whose fault do you think it is?

Well I didn't expect to get into trouble for saying what I said 😞

I agree that there are issues but there are 309 million people in the US and, as I recall, the 60 million number was bandied about during the health care debate and was somewhat questionable. But even if it is accurate I think I would prefer to speak to the other 249 million as they are likely to be a little more upbeat and positive.

When I'm old enough to get Medicare, I certainly wouldn't give that up to go and live somewhere else. No way! I like the health care I get here.

In my experience I find the tearing up over being so proud to be an American tends to spill out mostly during public holidays (like Thanksgiving today where practically everyone will be being thankful for the freedoms they enjoy etc, as if no other country in the world enjoys any freedom at all! ), and in public gatherings, not in the everyday conversations.

I also find it tends to be those who've never even left their home state, let alone visit another country, who seem to think that this is particularly true!

Mallory - sounds like you have a nice life here - but many people don't. There is far greater poverty in the US than there is in any Western European country. Many people here live hand-to-mouth, working minimum wage jobs, no health insurance or any other benefits. Yes - it's Thanksgiving and I am very thankful for what I have but I also feel very sorry and have empathy for those here who don't have much.

I do have a nice life. Both our mothers were widows, and we didn't have anything given to us. We both went to college and worked hard, like most people here do. We aren't wealthy, we just have a nice comfortable lifestyle from hard work.

I am thankful. I have given a donation to the homeless shelter and the food pantry for the holiday. Actually, I give donations throughout the year, not just at holidays. Not huge amounts, but what we can afford.

Complaining will suck the life out of you.

I may have misinterpreted how you meant what you said, but I took it to mean 60m Americans are somehow being excluded from something they are somehow entitled to.

Healthcare is a commodity, not a right. Free healthcare is incredibly rare, and actually not free at all. If I wanted to live in a socialist society I would have stayed in the UK. I like paying for what I use, not contributing for millions of scroungers like back in England.

I hate the sense of entitlement some people have!

You must love it here.

Sorry - I see things differently to you - as far as I am concerned health care is a right.

Wow. I'm f***ing speechless. You think people have a "sense of entitlement" to healthcare? There's a difference between a capitalist free market economy and leaving the poor to die untreated, even if sociopaths like yourself like to portray the two scenarios as one and the same.

To a large extent I am inclined to agree with you DG. No one should die because they cant afford health care but in the US the reasons for that have been obscured for (I suspect) political reasons.
Obama wants health care for everyone when the people who are going to be footing the bill for the uninsured are people like me. The AMA and the insurance companies have the market cornered and every doctors surgery is part of the business medical model.
The source of where funding should one from is clear to me. Means testing for all recipients and the control of high tech medical resources such as MRI units being regulated by an external authority.
Obama has fallen into the thrall of the AMA/insurance company alliance and his bill is a joke. Americans will not stand for the kind of solution you talked about and until someone takes on the real protagonists we will see no real resolution.

I don't think that trying to guilt trip the other 240 million of us into feeling responsible for the 60 million uninsured is a sound strategy... Pulling Obama's head out of the AMA/insurance orifice might be more effective.

It's not US culture that is at fault it's wishy washy quasi socialist ideology from the current administration that is allowing the uninsured to become insured at my expense

Speechless by a few of the recent posts on here, no wonder there is no community spirit left and there is such a divide between rich and poor.

Give thanks for what you have and screw everyone else, what a great way to look at the world, no wonder it's in such a mess.

THE GOVERNMENT.

Frank R.