This makes me sad to be an American. The article is kindof exaggerated, but still, I see a lot of truth. Especially about Bush. Yes, he has made many mistakes, but he has done good things as well. and the part about the army is a very good point. What do you all think about this? Please no flaming, I just want to see what people think about the statements in this.

    "The following is attributed to Jay Leno:

The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe.  It must be true, given the source, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President.  In essence 2/3s of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.    

So I started thinking, ''What are we so unhappy about?''

A. Is it that we have electricity and clean fresh running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

B. Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and comfortable heating in the winter?

C. Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

D. Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

E. Perhaps it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic without having to present identification papers as we pass through each state?

F. Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide comfortable temporary shelter?

G. I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough.

H. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and they might even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

I. Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.

J. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings.

K. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

L. All this in the backdrop of neighborhoods free of bombs, militias, raping or pillaging of the residents, neighborhoods where 90% of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

M. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?

Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen.  No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord that we live here. I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out?   The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession?   Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks?  The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?

Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?   

Think about it. Are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the 'Media' told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.  

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom.  There is currently no draft in this country.  They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but we can blame it on the media.  They specialize in bad news.  Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts.  How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by 'justifying' them in one way or another.

We should start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.  We are among the most blessed people on Earth and we should be thankful and appreciative."

'happiness' is quite the relative term.

go ask some people in Africa, they'd be happy to be well-fed.

US does have one of the highest standard of living in the world, so who cares if they are ungrateful, Don't like it? Move to China.

I'm not exactly an expert on American politics but before George Bush were you actually without those A - M privaleges?

I'm going to point out what's wrong with this thread in small bits.

The poll asks about current events (where the country is heading, the president) not about daily luxuries.

If the country keeps on heading the direction it's heading in, we may lose all those luxuries. I'll spare the details on that one. I'm sure you know what I mean.

Americans are blessed? Europe is modernized and in the Great Powers (Germany, UK, France) the living conditions are just about equal with the U.S. The difference, of course, being that their currency is destroying ours and that they have free health care.

Oh yes, those millions of Americans who don't have health care. They're so blessed!

And how could we hate a president who started a war, spending over a trillion dollars with no distinct goal?

Oh man, I could go on and on!

George W. Bush has been the worst President in US history. Whoever is next US President certainly can not be as as big of a moron like dear old Bush.

Just because America is, doesn't mean others aren't but when you compare a lot of what we have here to what people have in many parts of the world, yes we are blessed. 

The goal was to eliminate a possible threat to the US, though I don't agree with it either, especially as it turned out to be a bunch of nothing. Maybe Bush tried to expand Roosevelt's addition to the Monroe Doctrine. The war in Afghanistan, though was the right thing to do.

Edit: I added a bit in response to the last bit of the post. 

I read this article the other day. Good article.

Also, some people here need a history lesson. G.W. is probably not even in the top 5 or should i say bottom 5 as far as worst presidents go.

Do not forget a president can only do what the house and senate allow him to do.

>George W. Bush has been the worst President in US history.

First of all, can you even name all the presidents in US history?

Gosh, i HATE ignorant comments.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidents_of_the_U.S.

Bam!

And he's near the top of the list.

I mean, who's worse?

Nixon, Harding?

Maybe! 

Please spare a thought to those poor American citizens, 50 million living in poverty. The current government does not give a flying **** about and continues to waste over a trillion dollars on spilling blood for oil in the middle east. Over 3000 US soldiers lives have been wasted in Iraq since 2003 alone and one million Iraqi citizens have died due to disease, starvation or killed by US bombs.