This is a blanket statement, however it probably is fair. No nation is as creative as the US. We have the largest cinema, though maybe not the greatest, industry. We excel in inventions. Look at computer technologies that we've created. IBM, Microsoft, Apple are all American.

We are well behind in the pure sciences. Why? Simply because there is no money in it. With so little provided to us by the government to live off of, aka health care and education, we must make money to survive and pay the minimal bills.

Another problem, AND IT ISN'T PRAYER!!!, is that the US hasn't had an economic downturn is such a long time. This has led to indolance in children. They don't have to work hard as kids, so that somewhat carries on later in life. If the US hits a large recession, then things will turn around.

As to prayers being the answer, I know my school had a prayer time, it was just called a moment of silence. Didn't make much of a difference. Heck, look at Littleton, Colorado, a very religious place. The kids didn't act like that and teased outcasts. Those outcasts then shot the kids. Prayer doesn't help. It makes you try to pass off the problem. I still think we need to stop screwing around with kids in elementary school. How much time is wasted in college teaching calculus. That stuff should be taught in the 10th grade for all the kids that can handle it. I know I could of. But that is another thing.