Reasons to Love and Hate the United States
Miami Beach, United States

It's the Fourth of July—sometimes referred to America's birthday. Today the nation commemorates its declaration of independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, back in 1776.

For the past two months Tatiana and I have kept a piece of paper taped to the refrigerator, divided into two columns: Things I love about the USA and Things I hate about the USA. Whenever a particular moment struck us as relevant to one of those two topics, we'd jot it down.

Well, I figured today as good a time as any to share our list. Feel free to contribute your own thoughts/reasons in the comments.

Things I Love about the USA

1. Vehicular traffic often yields for pedestrians
2. No one attacking you with offers for transport at every turn, or taxis honking at you as they pass on the street (regardless the direction)
3. Potable tap water and water fountains
4. The whole alphabet in bra sizes
5. Shopping, online shopping
6. Return policies
7. Innovation
8. Select sodas (such as Cherry Coke Zero)
9. Mufflers on vehicles
10. The Price is Right, Plinko
11. Inexpensive vitamins
12. FDA-approved baby formula
13. Eggnog
14. Luther Burgers (whoa)
15. The right to keep and bear arms
16. Diversity
17. Bribe-free government offices/paperwork
18. Flushed toilet paper
19. FM radio channel variety
20. Do it yourself coin-operated laundry facilities
21. Kiosks for printing digital photos
22. Hot water on demand
23. Military policing of the civilian population is the exception, not the standard
24. Trash receptacles on the streets, beaches
25. Trash not thrown out of vehicle windows
26. Freedom of Speech

Things I Hate about the USA

1. Petty, controlling laws and their enforcement
2. Sales tax
3. Celebrity idolization and tabloid magazines
4. Taxi car seat laws
5. Tipping (well said, Mr. Pink)
6. Suing, lawsuits
7. The 'live to work' instead of 'work to live' work culture
8. The cost of drugs and the doctor prescription need to purchase them
9. Sexually repressed
10. Culture of bitching, complaining
11. Any type of Presidential election news coverage
12. Local news, and their branded Channel X Doppler 9000 Storm Center
13. The look of the currency
14. Hospitals and health care system
15. The TSA
16. No sense of history