Last week, we asked for your vote to decide the best of the top five entries to our “6-word motto for the U.S.” contest. As promised, we tallied the votes received in the first 48 hours after posting. There was a clear winner:
Our Worst Critics Prefer to Stay (194 votes)
Here are the runners-up:
Caution! Experiment in Progress Since 1776 (134)
The Most Gentle Empire So Far (64) votes
You Should See the Other Guy (38)
Just Like Canada, With Better Bacon (18)
I applaud your choice of winner, and I especially applaud “edholston,” the blog reader who wrote the motto. “Our Worst Critics Prefer to Stay” is, while perhaps not outrightly uplifting, a wonderfully concise acknowledgment of the paradox that a capitalist democracy inevitably is: a place that is often well worth complaining about, and which allows you to complain as loudly as you wish.
It seems a small reward to get just a piece of Freakonomics schwag for such a mighty task as writing a new motto for the United States, but that is all we have to offer. That, and our thanks — to Ed, and to all of you who participated.
Now, who among you can see about actually getting this motto adopted?
and 
. You can also watch it on 
“With better bacon” ? As a Canadian I am always amused to see ‘Canadian bacon’ on US menus. There is no such thing in Canada. What Americans refer to as ‘Canadian bacon’ Canadians call ‘back bacon’ and it is rarely available on menus and seldom eaten at home. We eat the same style of bacon as Americans.
perfect motto. thank you, freaky readers, for voting for a noble motto, one befitting the greatest. country. evah.
proud to read here with you. long live the u.s.a.
Perhaps then it should have read, “Like Canada, but with better beer.”
perfect answer! you are describing me. for all the problems in the U.S. my next options are Ireland and Australia but only as a tourist.
Better Beer?
You know why American Beer is like making love in a Canoe?
How about:
Freedom: wherever you can stick it
Write your local legislator.
Kathleen
I demand a recount!