Forty-four percent of respondents believe America's best days are still to come, according to a poll just released. The pessimists, who think the good days have passed, represent 41 percent of the surveyed group.
Optimism about the country's future appears tied to individual economic status — voters who make less than $40,000 a year are more likely to say the best days are behind the US. Those making more think the future will be better than the past and present.
The beginning of the 21st century has been tough for America — terrorists brought down the Twin Towers, the US itself launched a war without UN approval, added $42 trillion to the debt, and saw a surplus morph into a deficit of half a trillion dollars. Even though hard times could make you want to kiss the best days goodbye, perhaps this adversity will inspire America to reinvent itself for modern, and better, days.
Current&Elliot
Replay
Korres
I think most people will tell you it just depends on who wins the elections this year, and all the elections after that. Of course the preferred winner will differ.
Of course I think we could be great again, if we'd just return to the values and rules of the Constitution. As long as I'm young and starry-eyed, I'll try to be optimistic about that.
1I believe america's best days were in the past, BUT individually I think my best days are in the future. Does that make sense?
2We don't know where things are going from here - a lot depends on our ability to pull together and to recognize the changes that countries like India, Russia and China are undergoing as well. This election will say a great deal to the world about us, and how we plan on facing the future.
3Every time I get on my computer and see the CNN headlines, I just think, "Game over. I'm going to miss this place." I'm not a McCain supporter, and while I'm not maligning Obama's ability or experience as a potential leader, I just don't think there's anything short of a miracle that can fix this mess of a country. Our economy, our politics, our foreign affairs, our moral debates... there's no way you can begin to repair a country that is unreceptive to change and debate.
I think the traditional conception of America as we know it is gone; we have to get ready to live in version 2.0.
4I'm an optimist! The best is yet to come!
5Yes -- American as we knew it is gone but the best is yet to come!
6Neither--it's right now!
7I personally don't want to repeat the past -- I mean there's a lot of messed up crap that happened in the past. Do we really want a repeat of the woman's movement (or er other movements). I truly believe that all of this will go away in a couple of years.
8The past was full of injustice and intolerance. Yes, times are difficult now, but at least we don't have slavery, segregation, women unable to vote, Japanese internment, etc. History has shown that over the years we are becoming more equal and tolerant of each other, and I am sure this will continue in the future.
9I don't want to think about it.
I'm more of a pessimist (or just realistic!
) and feel that the best days are behind
us. I do feel, however, that good days will return -- just not for quite some time.
10I think better days lie ahead. I do not think the past was so great, I think it was a time of excess and spoiled Americans.
11Overcoming financial struggles and adversities, I think make better people and instill character. Although it will be difficult, I think the best is yet to come. Just depends on what you think of as "best":)
I think rough days are ahead, but I can't say I feel optimistic or pessimistic. I need time to see how the rest of y'all react to current events!
12Of course in the past there were "bad" things, i was thinking more along the lines of that in the past things were simpler, there was more of a family unit, it was safer , communities were closer..etc...If i could get into a time machine I would wave goodbye and head on back to good old days.
13I absolutely hate the "Good Ole Days" mentality...goes along with the "good ole boys" thought train!!!
14why tiabia, its not the same thing. why does it have a negative connotation to you?
15I would have such a hard time thinking the best days are behind us...
16But the Iraqi war, the oil prices, the financial crisis, the mortgage crisis, healthcare mess, homelessness, obesity epidemic, North Korea, energy crisis, education policy failure, immigration problems, sigh.
17People romanticize the past. There's always been problems, and there will always be problems, but overall the U.S. is a great country anyway.
18Well I'm inclined to say they're both right. Good days come good days go. Bad days come bad days go. It will always be this way as long as we work with in the current system of economics.
19If we can get on the ball with being world leaders in cleaner energy and more ethical technologies, then absolutely the best days are yet to come. I truly believe we can get there; it's just a matter of how dire the environmental/economical situation is going to get in order to push us to the point of fully committing to turning this world around.
20Deidre, I think you're definitely looking in the right direction.
21If you mean the good ole days of when I was like 6ys old - playing slip-n-slide in my front lawn -- I didn't worry about bills -- had no cares in the world -- ok -- I can see your point.
But the "good ole days" of oppression & separation -- no!
22As a history major we have been through some pretty crappy times... the best is yet to come.
23I'm an optimist. We can solve this.
Fear sells, and news agencies aren't shy about inspiring it in people.
24Looking back to "the good old days" is like putting on rose colored glasses. High school wasn't nearly as great a time as I remember it (I did have a great time in HS, and have the GPA to prove it.), and today isn't neatly as bad as I think it is. The best is yet to come.
25Life is what you make it. My grandmother tells stories of the simple things she and her siblings did during the depression that made life fun. We can all choose to make our days "better days." We may all need to tighten our belts and/or help our neighbors out, but that is the American spirit. The can do attitude that built this country. A lot of it has been lost. People want everything provided for them, but it is still flowing through the veins of every American and we can find it again!
26i think that we HAVE to consider that there are still a lot of great things to come for us in the future. if we get stuck in the thought that things aren't going to be as great and prosperous as the past, then we're never going to evolve. i know that it seems like history is a big yo yo of good and bad times, but if you didn't have times like these to compare to, you wouldn't realize that things do get better.
i have a feeling that not that the bottom has dropped out - we will see that there are GREAT things on the horizon and all we have to do is lay the foundation for our children to be able to take leaps and bounds. we'll most likely be able to experience the fruits of our labors in our lifetime so it's not only looking FAR FAR ahead, it's looking to the next decade..
27Worst comes to worst we know we can survive in caves!
28This has got me thinking that maybe Americans are waking up and rearranging their priorities. Sure we are in a suffering economy, but people are realizing they have to focus on sustainability instead of just a boom with good prices. This could apply to everything, communities, health, energy, housing, the economy. I believe that innovations in thought and technology can only improve America in the future.
29I think the good days are in the past, mainly because China and India are emerging in a way that most of us haven't fathomed yet. If they weren't there, maybe we would have better days ahead but for now...uh-uh, don't think so.
30Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.