USA in Bad Shape

I was talking with my friend George, who is 88 years old and a WWII veteran. He said "in all my years I have never seen the country in this bad a shape." This rang a bell with me, because I have been paying attention to political discussions on the internet, and realize that under George W. Bush's presidency, the citizens of the USA are much worse off than before he took office in many ways.

My daughter and her family live in Europe. It is hard for them to constantly have to defend America and endure embarrassment and criticism for this country's international policies. The world in general hates this country. When I hear uninformed rubbish that the USA is the best country in the world, I want to puke. It USED to be the best....but as far as health care, homelessness, education, drugs, senseless war, gas price increases which are leading to other price increases, a faltering real estate market, less and less freedom and more and more "executive privilege" along with the Patriot Act which reduces freedom...the USA is not a place I am proud in which to live. (Sorry, Mom).