By Andy Brack | The vitality of the United States heading into the 2024 elections seems to be a half full-half empty proposition.
On the plus side, numerous indicators show the health and backbone of the country to be strong. But on the minus side, numerous indicators show big problems for most Americans. So let’s take a look at what’s happening.
Most powerful country on Earth
The United States continues to be the most powerful country on the planet in terms of its overall economy, military and prowess in fields of technology, education and research. Additionally, it is the world’s most culturally significant country with what a U.S. News & World Report ranking calls an “imprint [that] spans the world, led in large part by its popular culture expressed in music, movies and television.”
Among its top rankings compared to dozens of countries across the world, the U.S. and its market with a $25.5 trillion in gross domestic product is ranked first in economic agility for, among other things, being economically dynamic, modern and progressive.
It’s also first in entrepreneurship, power, education, international influence and being forward thinking, according to the rankings. It’s second for investing and being the best place to study abroad, and it’s third in cultural influence. Overall, it’s ranked the fifth top country when all factors are balanced. Ahead of the U.S. are Switzerland (1), Canada (2), Sweden (3) and Australia (4) in overall rankings.
But big issues drag us down
But across society, there are other big issues which keep our country from being first overall, including:
Open for business. While the country scores high for not being corrupt (95 on a 100 point score), it’s expensive to manufacture things (0.2 score) and scores low on having a favorable tax environment (17.2) and good government transparency (25).
Quality of life. This overall metric is mixed with high scores for having a great job market (96) and being economically stable (82), but it is not considered affordable (8) or safe (12) and has a lot of income inequality (12). Compared to other countries, the United States ranks 23rd in quality of life.
Adventure. The United States is ranked 33rd in adventure, which includes scores on a 100-point scale on being fun (66), friendly (41) and sexy (11 ).
Social purpose. Perhaps of more concern is the discrepancy in how the nation scores on indicators of social purpose. It scores relatively high for religious freedom (85 of 100) and respect for property rights (71), but low on caring about the environment and climate (18) and racial equity (11).
Democratic presidential candidate and author Marianne Williamson this week complained that negative factors the country faces on everything from gun violence to racial inequities and economic unevenness, has been hollowing out past advances.
More than a million everyday Americans, she said in an interview this week, are rationing insulin to try to keep their health. A third of America’s workers live on less than $15 per hour, she said. And college costs are soaring. Forty years ago, for example, a full semester at a good public college cost less than $500 per semester.
“The problem is that democracy is not delivering on its promises in such forms as universal health care, tuition, free college and so forth,” she said, comparing the United States to other first-world democracies. “I think that the hollowing out of the American middle class over the last 50 years proves that that theory [of putting short-term profits over people] did not work.”
Andy Brack is editor and publisher of Statehouse Report and the Charleston City Paper. Have a comment? Send to: feedback@statehousereport.com.
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