Americans describe the state of the US in one word

Evolving.

Always has and always will. Our constitution allows rewards for ingenuity. via capitalism. The competitive entities know you have to change quickly in order to compete in this country. Some are able to do it better than others. Those that adapt quickly to new modes have the edge, and can capitalize from it.

The problem is there are many people including many in control that want to eliminate capitalism. Even if they lose the upcoming election they will continue trying to achieve their goal.
Granted there are always people that will adapt but there will always be people trying to prevent it.

An old saying that I believe is true, 'all great empires eventually fall'
It might not happen for a long time but I think it eventually will.

Divided. I don’t ever recall the country being this divided and each side is ultra passionate about their beliefs.

Instead of trying to choose one word, let me describe my week.

Made 5 figures on the stock market.
Very busy at work as usual. Had a few laughs with my co-workers.
Got blown by my favorite stripper wearing a hot policewomen outfit for Halloween, blew in her mouth. She tried to handcuff me but they were too small for my wrists.
Paid a little more for gas and food than last year, but manageable.
Didn't see or was bothered by any illegal immigrants.
Didn't see or experience any crime.
Didn't ingest any fentanyl.

Despite being exposed to a stream of right wing vitriol and propaganda, I would say it was a good week.

Pussified

Fucked

It’s not a word - but a phrase.

Desperately in need of unification - or a unifier.

We had hoped that Biden wasn’t as mentally incapacitated as he is. We hoped that he would reach across the aisle and pull the parties closer to center, but that didn’t happen, and it doesn’t appear to be on his agenda.

We don’t need more of the same rhetoric showing each candidate as too liberal or too right wing. That only drives a deeper wedge between the people. We need more of a centrist approach. There was a documentary awhile ago, Waiting for Superman, that depicted the decline of the American public school system. My point isn’t about the documentary, but the title of the film, as we need almost a Superman to lead both parties back to center. We can’t remain so polarized as we move forward, it’s just not healthy for the republic.

This seems like a country on the verge of a divorce. Both parties or spouses, are at an impasse, and they desperately need to come together. In many cases, this would end in a bitter divorce, but that’s a frightening thought for this country.

The state of this failed land is so bad that only one word applies - Icee.

COVFEFE.

Failing.

@Mate is closest to where I am, though "evolving" sounds anodyne. I'd say "tenuous" or "volatile."

We're facing a number of crises that could go sideways very quickly: (1) inflation and cost of living are causing serious misery, (2) energy with this winter coming (my electric bills are set to double--I can take the shock but many people can't), (3) Ukraine, and (4) internal division (which manifests as a range from ace to gender to attempts on politicians' lives). We're too interconnected to divorce, but I'm concerned about the level of animosity and the feds and states actively looking to punish each other.

That doesn't even get to the smaller local fires like crime waves and urban blight, local educational kerfuffles.

Not all of them are the Democratic leadership's fault, but other than Ukraine they aren't addressing any of them effectively.
While I'm cheering for significant Republican gains, you don't get big majorities these days without some freak shows or just not skilled candidates (Oz, Walker, Masters, Vance) who will eventually annoy you and motivate the opposition.

Also regardless of next week's outcome, there's only so much a divided government can do. It's not like a GOP House/Senate could pass a Republican agenda that wouldn't die on Biden's desk. Their big 2024 pitch is going to be "we're trying to do this, Biden's stopping us, give us Trump/DeSantis/Scott/whoever and we'll implement it." It's my understanding that the 2024 Senate map is very Republican friendly. If shit gets bad, a filibuster-proof majority might not be off the table. Then it'll _really_ be put up or shut up time for the Republican agenda.

"internal division (which manifests as a range from ace to gender to attempts on politicians' lives"

Should be race to gender to attempts on politicians' lives.

The left needs those issues to make us see each other as something other than fellow Americans.

The "LGB" part of the LGBTQ agenda is passe. Now a faithful gay married man is a square, and you need to support the lopping off of teenagers' tits and cocks not to be a bigot. Gender identity disorder was a 1:10,000 prevalence disease, now it's increased 100-fold because the left needs it to eliminate more institutions (especially the family) that stand between the individual and the state.