America was founded with the intention of promoting opportunity through merit alone and I think all things considered it's succeeding in that ambition.
I agree, at least for me personally, but I have seen so many of my friends and family immigrate here and do well. Folks born and brought up in the US sometimes don't realize how lucky they are. Personally I was deeply affected by the politically motivated quota system for colleges back in my home country. By merit, I was able to get into one of the top colleges in the US, but not into any of the top colleges back in my home country because there were so few seats left after the quota, I would have had better luck at the Olympics. US is not perfect and has many many faults (some of which will likely make me move out after retirement), but if one works hard, persists and some intelligence to go with it, I think its actually difficult to not do not well over an extended period of time.
Its one thing to read books and statistics about corruption, its another to actually live with it on a daily basis. Here in the US, the corruption I see is at very high levels of government and it is somehow also legal which baffles me. It does affect the common folk, but I feel like it has a more indirect effect (don't want to go into details here as it might open a can of worms).
Sorry, I am adding to the off-topic entries on this thread. Can we talk about the Oscar awards now