But America is the best and most successful country in the world, and I believe it has to do with our work ethic.

I agree about the great work ethic, that's one thing I've always admired in Americans. But you'd have to define what exactly you mean by ''the best'' and ''most successful.'' Is it more successful than Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, and in what way? USA has a high production rate, but let's be honest - most of the produced is crap that costs a lot of money and adds little to life. The products of today are not the high value products of the previous centuries (the first cars, washing machines, computers etc.) but mainly senseless crap (new iPhones every year - this one without an earphone plug, that one without a home button etc.) that needs enormous marketing departments to convince people to buy them. So I agree about the work ethic, but not on being the best or most successful. For example what really adds value to the society today - industrial robots - they are produced in Europe and Asia, USA is making almost none at all, it's not a noteworthy player in this market at all.