Is the 1964 U.S. Navy more powerful than any 2014 world navy?

Yes,

In 1964 we had far more ships with basically the same weapons we have today. We had a few battleships still around which would blow anything out of the water if they got within range. The carriers had jet fighters with missiles and nukes. There really is no major difference other than the ships today are more refined.

As far as weakening the military, Carter was weak. He stopped the MX missile program, the B1 bomber program, the Neutron bomb program and gave away the secret of stealth technology even before the F117 was operational. Reagan built it back up. Bush I used it in the Gulf War. Then after the war he planned a 30% across the board cut of the military. Clinton came in and screwed with the numbers. He closed only 25% of the bases, cut 40% of the personnel and we reduced the medical capabilities 80%. Now the US Navy is smaller than it was in 1917. Obama killed the F22 program so we have less than 200 planes. And Obama wants to cut the military even more. He wants to reduce the Army to pre WW II levels and you can bet the overall number of F35s will be cut and we will slow down carrier production and retire the Nimitz sooner than planned.

At the rate we are cutting, by 2020, China will have a more modern, bigger navy than the USA. Then it will move on the disputed islands and maybe even take its rogue state of Taiwan back under its control. And the USA will be unable to do a thing about it. At that point, you will know, China is the new number one and the USA will join Spain, France and Great Britain as a has been leader nation.

The 1964 fleet would have been at a much, much higher state of readiness than the 2014 fleet.

Buying readiness has not been the Navy's strong suit over the last 10 years or so (it's more of a service problem than a political problem, though with that said, it will accelerate under the current administration)

Most of the 1964 Navy size was support of battle Fleet The 2014 Navy is improved to focus on main Battle Fleet .

All I know is Reagan built a 572 ship Navy that won the cold war and now we sit at about 259....given the world we find ourselves in that seems short sighted as hell.

To our friend saying we need battle ships, you're wrong intuit considering they are slow and vulnerable to attack by other smaller ships, which is why most navies have cruisers as their largest ships (USA uses battle cruisers) we have by far the most advanced ships in the world and the mos aircraft carriers, not to mention our multiple ballistics submarines that, when underway, are the 5th most powerful nuclear nation, so you tell me, are we less powerful for choosing quality over quantity? I think not!

You have power...and capability

Often confused...they are two totally different things

After the cuts....the US military will still be very powerful....and much, much less capable

Which is fine...as long as everyone understands this...especially the public, planners and politicians that expect the US military to miraculously do any and everything at all times