Elpanada, I didn't say there was anything "special" about the US. I said that overall the courts work quite well, that there is more justice, that there is a clear cut balance of power between the branches of government, that there is much less corruption and that there is a general sense of well being among the people. I don't consider these "special"characteristics. People in the US, Canada, much of Europe, Australia, etc. consider these normal characteristics for their societies. I never said that the US is perfect. I acknowledged its flaws. Defending the pluses of the US is not the same as saying that it is a paradise.