I think that what made both the USA and Canada great was a combination of...

1. an incredibly rich and diversified natural environment, full of useful resourcess

2. hardworking people with a pretty strong and democratic set of social institutions which came over from England

3. mercantilism such as you allude to.

It was all accomplished, however, by robbing and pretty much wiping out the Native civilizations that flourished here prior to the 1500s, so a Native American might see it a bit differently.

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Those who reject the 911 Commission's findings, Bill, are found on both the Right and the Left. They come from every part of the political spectrum. I don't even see what Right or Left have to do with it.