I vote America also, and heres why...
Are we an Empire in the strictest sense of the word?
Hell no.
We can project our power at a moments notice, truely anywhere in the known world. Our free society, and Democratic government bleed into every other countries way of life in some small way. If you arent American, you want to be American.(Except of course Canadians and thats really only because we own them but let them consider themselves independant of us, even though if someone attacked them, we'd end up defending their country. i.e. Puerto Rico) Also you'd have to dip a little into our history to see just how much of an empire we really couldve been, had we really wanted to be... In 1945 when Germany surrendered unconditionally, we had the power and the chance to ally with the remaining German forces and kick the living snot out of the Russians occupying eastern europe. We Chose Not To. Whether this was a good or bad thing will be debated by those with more time and interest. But the shear fact of the matter is, we COULD have been the biggest, and most powerful Empire ever to grace the earth with its presence, but for the freedom of choice to allow those who were weaker than us, to rebuild and retool themselves into the independant countries they now are. Its also true of what couldve been in Japan, had we wanted to take it over for good. Who wouldve stopped us? Who couldve stopped us? Britain? Russia? China?
Nah, simply put, we ARENT an empire because we choose to co-exist with those around us peaceably. (Some might wish to debate this point also)
So the way I see it is this: We're the most Empirical, Non-Empire ever to be in existence.
~wnied~