One of the most insightful comments on America from someone who never existed

[DFW]

One of the greatest TV scenes EVER.

[sop]

1. Aaron Sorkin wrote it and he exists.

[DFW]

4. But his character was a figment of his imagination

Just like Leo McGarry and Toby Ziegler. Sorkin wrote it, but Daniels performed it, and “McAvoy” delivered the speech.

[ahnakneemoose]

2. Jeff Daniels (written by Aaron Sorkin): 'America is not the greatest country in the world anymore'

Not sure I can copy the transcript; however, I found it here.

[ShazzieB]

10. Thanks for this!

[ahnakneemoose]

11. You're Welcome - And Thank You For Your Response

[niyad]

20. Thank you for posting the transcript.

[biocube]

3. I would 100% disagree with "worst generation ever"

If just millennials voted we'd be infinitely better off as a country.

[DFW]

5. I would change the order of two of your words

If millennials just voted, we’d be infinitely better off as a country.

We don’t suffer from the wrong people voting. We suffer from not enough people voting.

[Hope22]

9. The more I'm out in public the more I realize

Just how many ignorant, selfish, self important people are out here! You might be surprised how many ignorant fools there are. FOX for breakfast, lunch and dinner has created more than one generation of fools! 12 years of T whispering racist, sexist comments in public is the icing on the cake!

[ShazzieB]

12. I think that statement is true either way, though.

One of my least favorite things about being a baby boomer these days is knowing I'm part of the generation most likely to vote for Trump, persecute marginalized communities, and cheer as legal residents and even US citizens are dragged off the streets to be deported. If I didn't have DU to remind me that we're not ALL bigoted lunatics, I'd lose my mind.

AIt least I did one thing right. My millennial daughter is a democratic socialist and votes every single time!

[biocube]

15. Understood, but lower voter turnout among the young is a constant

In the 1980s for example Boomers had a lower voter turnout (percentage wise) than the silent generation.

[Probatim]

8. I love the ageism on this site that's directed to younger generations.

If a fraction of that ageism were directed to Boomers, all holy hell would rain down on the poster.

I have a millennial daughter who is active in politics and many of her friends are. She points out that other friends (and her younger brother who is Gen Z) have lost faith in government - and their faith in their parents and grandparents who have voted against any meaningful change since Reagan.

We constantly see how media and social media divide us - and how millennials bear the brunt of that. Google "all the things that millennials were blamed for" and you'll have a good laugh. When we need to be united, there's no future in furthering this divide with statements like this.

[niyad]

19. Funny. I see many attacks against Boomers (try reading some of the bio

comments sometime), but then, your perspective may well be diifferent.

[Probatim]

22. Maybe I don't react to attacks on Boomers because I'm not one - but I have kids who are "to blame

for our woes".

The bigger point is that we have more in common than we do differences. We're at a point now where we have the most in common against fascists like trump and musk and ellison and they and their supporters are working harder than ever to make sure we don't ever get along. Seeing through their crap and coming together is the worst thing that could happen to their plans.

[GiqueCee]

6. "The Newsroom"...

... was one of the best TV shows ever made, and it was a shame that it only ran 3 seasons.

[planetc]

7. Okay, more people should vote. But until the elections are actually secure, this may not be enough.

IMHO, the country has made a mistake, A large blunder. The 47th blunder. We have made them in the past, and will again. So our task at the moment is to admit our mistake, correct it, and get back to working on the country's problems. I was chatting with a friend recently, and her idea is that we should arrest him. But, I noted, many people would fear that the Supreme Court has made any official act by the president legal and unreviewable. So my friend said, "Arrest the supreme Court for being in violation of the Constitution." I found this response deeply refreshing. We can impeach the SC, if not actually arrest them. This would cause a Constitutional crisis, but we have been in a Constitutional crisis since the 47th was sworn in, and DOGE marched into the offices of USAID.

What this country is about is the peaceful transfer of power in the major branches of government: the Presidency, Congress, and the Supreme Court. We have enough sharp lawyers and creative brains in Washington to figure out a method for the country to correct its error. The Democratic Party has enough smarts to devise a plan, and we will need some support from Republicans. And I think we are approaching the tipping point for Republicans to support this effort.

On this delightful 4th of July, when people are no longer being fried on the National Mall, let us dedicate ourselves to making the framers of the Constitution proud, by correcting our colossal blunder.

[PatSeg]

13. Absolutely brilliant writing

and an unforgettable scene. Sorkin wrote some scenes that have stuck with me for many years. Another favorite was from The West Wing when he put a right-wing Christian bigot in her place. My daughter and I often say that we wish we'd said that. Sorkin is a genius.

When the President Stands, Nobody Sits | The West Wing

[DFW]

23. Sorkin wrote a LOT of those I wish I had said that lines

They could fill a full-length film by themselves.

[PatSeg]

24. And it could be called, "What I wish I'd said".

[peppertree]

14. The Argentinization of America

Before long, if these fascist pigs get their way, we'll no longer have mortgages and may be reduced to do-it-yourself cinderblock hovels - as many in Argentina have been since the GOP-backed last dictatorship rescinded the National Mortgage Bank program in '77.

Public housing was helping make up the shortfall - but now, even that's largely stopped.

[FakeNoose]

16. Great post DFW! Happy 4th of July to you and your family

[CapnSteve]

17. Let's not go down the ageism rabbit hole...

…pitting one generation against each other. I hear this as a call for all generations living in this dark time to get up off our butts and work to make this country better. It is up to us, all of us, to throw the corrupt bastards out. Vote vote vote!

Be swift to love; make haste to be kind.

[niyad]

18. I wanted to cry just watching this, and thinking how far we have fallen

Last edited Sat Jul 4, 2026, 12:39 PM - Edit history (1)

even from that moment.

I do, however, wanr to point out one thing that pissed me off. "great men", as though only men were responsible for whatever progress has been made here. Since I am rewatching "SUFFS:The Musical" on youtube (thank you PBS: Great Performances), it is easy to remember the SEVENTY TWO year (well, actually, 144, "Remember the Ladies" ) fight for Women's Suffrage, which, at that, only applied to white women. And, ONE HUNDRED AND SIX YEARS later, we STILL do not have the Equal Rights Amendment, and are, in fact, losing what little ground we have made. This country has NEVER been great when it comes to equality for women, not even close.

[ahnakneemoose]

21. Truth: Clearly Stated (by niyad)

This country has NEVER been great when it comes to equality for women

No, not even close

[dave99]

25. a man wrote the words, what did you expect

[niyad]

26. Inclusion? An awarenness of history? Something besides misogyny

from a person not usually considered this obtuse and tone deaf?