The Greatest Country/Countries in the World: Sorry USA

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart

American politicians constantly claim that the United States of America is “the greatest country in the world.” I’m required to inform you of one fact: they are full of s**t.

The rankings of developed nations places America as 12th in a few evaluations, but most frequently 18th. The most definitive issues involve the protection and guarantees of quality of life. A survey conducted in 2022 rated the United States 21st in the “World Happiness Report.” Here are the top ten.

Finland — 7.821

Denmark — 7.636

Iceland — 7.557

Switzerland — 7.512

Netherlands — 7.415

Luxembourg — 7.404

Sweden — 7.384

Norway — 7.365

Israel — 7.364

New Zealand — 7.200

Let’s look at the criteria used for ranking the “greatness” of nations.

Quality of Life (14.52%): a good job market, affordable, economically stable, family friendly, income equality, politically stable, safe, well-developed public education system, well-developed public health system.

Entrepreneurship (14.17%): connected to the rest of the world, educated population, entrepreneurial, innovative, provides easy access to capital, skilled labor force, technological expertise, transparent business practices, well-developed infrastructure, well-developed digital infrastructure, well-developed legal framework.

Agility (13.96%): adaptable, dynamic, modern, progressive, responsive.

Social Purpose (13.49%): cares about human rights, cares about the environment, gender equality, religious freedom, respects property rights, trustworthy, well-distributed political power, racial equity, cares about animal rights, committed to climate goals, committed to social justice.

Movers (10.57%): different, distinctive, dynamic, unique.

Cultural Influence (10.36%): culturally significant in terms of entertainment, fashionable, happy, influential culture, strong consumer brands, modern, prestigious, trendy.

Open for Business (9.35%): cheap manufacturing costs, favorable tax environment, bureaucratic, corrupt, transparent government practices.

Adventure (5.48%): friendly, fun, good for tourism, pleasant climate, scenic, sexy.

Power (5.02%): a leader, economically influential, strong exports, politically influential, strong international alliances, strong military.

Heritage (3.09%): culturally accessible, rich history, great food, many cultural attractions, many geographical attractions.

Now let’s look at the number one issue, quality of life, and compare the components to America in the 21st century.

The opportunity to secure employment in a good-paying job in a country where the cost of living continues to escalate is paramount. Unfortunately, the 2010 and 2020 Decennial Census reports that adjusted for inflation, the working class in America continues to experience wages which remain stagnant, and a decrease in benefits. The cost of single-family homes has risen beyond the capability of most younger Americans to receive ownership. 

America is far from “economically stable.” A corrupt and incompetent government has failed to create a stable and fluid economy. Our national debt is in the trillions of dollars and “Greedflation,” caused by corporate greed, is responsible for a severe decrease in the dispensable income of most working-class men and women. 

America is far from “family friendly” if they are incapable of securing safe and affordable housing. I live in Northern Nevada. We purchased our home in 1998. The average cost of a single-family home in 2023 is $576,610. It would be impossible for my wife and I to purchase a home today. The average apartment rental is $1,612 per month, nearly twice our monthly mortgage payment, and more than we could afford as senior citizens.

Income inequality is an escalating problem which continues to be ignored by our leaders in Washington. Less than five percent of our country’s people control more than 90 percent of America’s wealth. One half of our nation’s people live in the low-income demographic, or below the poverty line. 

Political stability are two words which cannot be placed together in 21st century America. Our two major parties don’t speak to each other and a diametrically opposed to each other’s policies and goals. One party is owned by the super-rich and the other fights for the majority some of the time. Neither Democrats nor Republicans choose to “do the right thing” in every situation. Politicians and their parties are destroying our nation at an alarming rate.

In 21st America there are more mass shootings than days on the calendar. It has become the norm and local newspapers and television news refuse to report incidents involving guns occurring in other states. One half of our government in Washington continues to offer “thoughts and prayers” but nothing else while taking millions of dollars in campaign contributions from the NRA gun lobby. The United States has become one of the most unsafe countries in the world. If you leave your home, you are risking a loss of life from a crazed individual in possession of a gun.

Only children of our wealthiest Americans can afford to attend our best colleges and universities. Every year some our finest young minds are wasted because they cannot afford the rising costs of tuition, books, and housing. This situation is becoming a threat to national security as corporations are seeking employees from nations around the world. 

Finally, a situation which is destroying the economic status of millions of Americans every year: healthcare. The United States has the most expensive and least effective healthcare system in the free world. Only the wealthy can afford medical care from the best doctors and hospitals. One major health problem can force an entire family into poverty and even homelessness. There is no “equal treatment under the law” in America.

Now that you know this fact it is easy to understand why our country has never been a great country. Our government refuses to listen to our needs and wishes. Today’s men and women in Washington rule over us: they do not serve all 333 million Americans.

Op-ed by James Turnage

My nine novels are available on Amazon’s free Kindle app

Sources:

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/methodology

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/best-countries-to-live-in

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