Let's face it: America kind of sucks

[Godboy]

Republicans like to pretend that the US is the best country in the world in every way because they cannot stand the thought of other countries doing something better than us. However, the main flaws the US has are much of less of issues in other first world countries.

1) Our healthcare system is garbage with or without ObamaCare.

Republicans like to harp on ObamaCare and pretend that it is rhe reason why our system sucks, but when you ask them the simple of question of "well, was our system good before ObamaCare?", they will refuse to answer. Secretly they know that our healthcare system has always sucked but they will not admit that out loud. But hell, at least ACA improved it to some degree. Republicans secretly like the idea of their healthcare coverage not being denied because of pre-existing conditions, but its another thing they will not admit out loud. Obama came up with it so the knee jerk reaction is that it is terrible.

I also want to point out the myth that republicans have about other first world healthcare systems. They pretend that wait lists run rampant for basic care and that these people suffer. That's of course not true. Systems in Western Europe, Australia, Japan, South Korea are all quite high functioning even if they are not perfect.

Here's all the ways comparable, first world national healthcare systems are superior to the US's:

A. Life expectancy is better
B. Premature death rates are lower.
C. Less suffering with long term chronic diseases
D. Healthcare quality and access is far better
E. Maternal morality rates are better.
G. Hospital rates are lower for chronic diseases.
H. Post-operative complications are lower in prevalence.
I. Medication and procedure errors are lower.

And oh yeah, this is thanks to socialized medicine rather than shitty for-profit healthcare very few people can afford.

Now you say that the US does have state of the art treatments in some examples, but this hardly matters if the large majority of the population does not have access to this ridiculously expensive care and the overall nation suffers in areas where it matters most.

How does the quality of the U.S. health system compare to other countries? - Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker

Despite spending more money per capita on healthcare than any similarly large and wealthy nation, the United States has a lower life expectancy than peer nations and has seen worsening health outcomes since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This chart collection combines various measures of...

www.healthsystemtracker.org

2. Infrastructure systems are better in comparable nations.

A. The US ranks 13th in infrastructure quality in the world.
B. Only 2% of our GDP spending goes to infrastructure.
C. Airports in other countries are better.
D. High speed rail in the US is half of the speed of comparable countries.
E. Internet connection is much better in other countries.
F. Our roads are shitty in comparison to these other nations. Traffic jams are less severe in such nations.

That's far from "American exceptionalism." Hell, Biden gets credit for at least passing a law making improvements even if it was not enough.



3. Gun violence in the US is far greater than in other countries like Australia, the UK, and Canada.

A. Mass shootings are far more common in the US than other politically stable countries.
B. Gun murders account for 79% of all murders in the US. In Canada it is 37%, Australia 13%, and the UK is 4%
C. Gun deaths per capita are FAR higher than in other countries.

Gun Violence in the US Far Exceeds Levels in Other Rich Nations

Gun violence is a huge issue in many other countries—just none that the US would consider a peer.

www.bloomberg.com

4) Wealth inequality is one of the worst in the world.

In 2020, the top 20% of the population earned 52.2% of all U.S. income. The median household income fell significantly for the first time since 2011 to $67,521. That's 2.9% down from 2019's number. The richest of the rich, the top 5%, earned 23% of all income.

The Cause of Income Inequality in America

U.S. income inequality has worsened significantly in the past 30 years. What does income inequality look like in the United States and what are the causes?

www.thebalance.com

5) Poverty rates are lower in other counties.

Denmark, Finland, and Sweden are proof that poverty in the US doesn't have to be this high

In 2004, the US child poverty rate was about 12 percent. Denmark's was less than 2 percent.

www.vox.com

Conclusion: America kind of sucks. I know inevitably the response I am going to get to this thread will be somewhere along the lines of "if you don't like it here, leave!" Well see the truth of the matter is that I think America is great in some ways and I would rather stay here and fix what is wrong with it.

If the US sucks, then everywhere else in the world is horrific! Can you name one country better than the US?

 

[basquebromance]

If the US sucks, then everywhere else in the world is horrific! Can you name one country better than the US?

Lebanon > USA

lol just kidding...Lebanon is smaller in population than NYC

 

[DBA]

Perfect ignoramus chumps of the greedy idiot GOP mega rich liars you mean.... Worst inequality, upward mobility, homelessness, anywhere in the modern world by far ever. Change the damn channel

There is very little upward mobility in many other countries. The US offers the best opportunity for upward mobility. Granted, you actually have to work for it, which is the real issue for people like you and most Democrats. You want to be gifted a mediocre life like in Socialists countries. Some of us have more ambition than that and are mature adults. People like you want to move from your parent’s basement to the government’s basement because you are too scared, lazy and immature to take personal responsibility.

 

[Roadrunner76]

You have no idea what you are talking about, I suggest you move to a socialist country.

 

[francoHFW]

There is very little upward mobility in many other countries. The US offers the best opportunity for upward mobility. Granted, you actually have to work for it, which is the real issue for people like you and most Democrats. You want to be gifted a mediocre life like in Socialists countries. Some of us have more ambition than that and are mature adults. People like you want to move from your parent’s basement to the government’s basement because you are too scared, lazy and immature to take personal responsibility.

Yes yes, 40 years of giveaway to the rich is no big deal and making college and training as expensive as possible and the jobs as crappy as possible has had no effect. It's up to every person to overcome all these hurdles. You are an idiot. Every other country has cheap college and job training so people can move up the ladder. And yes we do have the worst upward mobility in the world, and just saying it's not true is stupid. You probably think socialist means communist and that I am talking in favor of a country like China Vietnam and Cuba. You are out of your tiny little mind....

 

[francoHFW]

There is very little upward mobility in many other countries. The US offers the best opportunity for upward mobility. Granted, you actually have to work for it, which is the real issue for people like you and most Democrats. You want to be gifted a mediocre life like in Socialists countries. Some of us have more ambition than that and are mature adults. People like you want to move from your parent’s basement to the government’s basement because you are too scared, lazy and immature to take personal responsibility.

Meanwhile, super dupe, GOP has basically destroyed the middle class and America as we know it the last 40 years and the only reason to be a republican is pure misinformation.
Over the past 60 years the American dream has gradually disappeared. The process was slow, so most people didn’t notice. They just worked a few more hours, borrowed a little more and cut back on non-essentials. But looking at the numbers and comparing them over long time periods, it is obvious that things have changed drastically. Here are the details:

1. WORKERS PRODUCE MORE BUT THE GAINS GO TO BUSINESS.

Over the past 40 years worker productivity has grown by 2.0% per year.

But after 1980, workers received a smaller share every year. Labor’s share of income (1992 = 100%):

1950 = 101%
1960 = 105%
1970 = 105%
1980 = 105% – Reagan
1990 = 100%
2000 = 96%
2007 = 92%

A 13% drop since 1980

2. THE TOP 10% GET A LARGER SHARE.

Share of National Income going to Top 10%:

1950 = 35%
1960 = 34%
1970 = 34%
1980 = 34% – Reagan
1990 = 40%
2000 = 47%
2007 = 50%

An increase of 16% since Reagan.

3. WORKERS COMPENSATED FOR THE LOSS OF INCOME BY SPENDING THEIR SAVINGS.

The savings Rose up to Reagan and fell during and after.

1950 = 6.0%
1960 = 7.0%
1970 = 8.5%
1980 = 10.0% – Reagan
1982 = 11.2% – Peak
1990 = 7.0%
2000 = 2.0%
2006 = -1.1% (Negative = withdrawing from savings)

A 12.3% drop after Reagan.

4. WORKERS ALSO BORROWED TO MAKE UP FOR THE LOSS.

Household Debt as percentage of GDP:

1965 = 46%
1970 = 45%
1980 = 50% – Reagan
1990 = 61%
2000 = 69%
2007 = 95%

A 45% increase after 1980.

5. SO THE GAP BETWEEN THE RICHEST AND THE POOREST HAS GROWN.

Gap Between the Share of Capital Income earned by the top 1%
and the bottom 80%:

1980 = 10%
2003 = 56%

A 5.6 times increase.

6. AND THE AMERICAN DREAM IS GONE.

The Probably of Moving Up from the Bottom 40% to the Top 40%:

1945 = 12%
1958 = 6%
1990 = 3%
2000 = 2%

A 10% Decrease.

Links:

1 = ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/special.requests/pf/totalf1.txt
1 = https://www.clevelandfed.org/Research/PolicyDis/No7Nov04.pdf
1 = Clipboard01.jpg (image)
2 – http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/blog/09/04/27/CongratulationstoEmmanuelSaez/
3 = http://www.demos.org/inequality/images/charts/uspersonalsaving_thumb.gif
3 = http://www.bea.gov/national/nipaweb...able=58&Freq=Qtr&FirstYear=2008&LastYear=2010

 

[James California]

You have no idea what you are talking about, I suggest you move to a socialist country.

Remember that even socialist countries do not want deadbeats ...