Myth: 10. WERE NO. 1! USA! USA! USA! Reality: Sure we are... in bullying the world around. We spend more on warmongering than the rest of the world combined, and we crush the world in arms sales. Seventy-eight percent of arms sales are from the good old USA (in second place is Russia with 5.6%). Not surprisingly, were the perennial and virtually unchallenged No. 1 in gun violence. And, not entirely coincidently, we lead the world in the number of people we throw in jail (though tens of thousands are incarcerated for non-violent petty drug offenses). Were No. 1 in highest health care costs, the most number of uninsured people (prior to Obamacare), heart attacks, and the highest anti-depressant usage. Were No. 1 in total crime, number of rapes, divorce rate, teen births, plastic surgery, CO2 emissions, and wealth disparity. Very importantly, we have more McDonalds restaurants than any other country... which helps keep us No. 1 in obesity rates. Were at the tippy-top, by far, nobody even close, in overpaying our corporate CEOs. And we still dominate the Summer Olympics. Whoo-hoo, were No. 1! But not where it counts... in quality of life. Despite what many Americans believe, the good old USA is an also-ran when it comes to the most virtuous and livable countries. Check it out: In overall quality of life, were No. 31. In overall economic competitiveness were No. 7, behind six European nations. Imagine that, the champion of capitalism bowing down to those bastions of socialism when it comes to economic strength! Overall health? No. 39. Boom! Take that Cyprus and Costa Rica! Serbia, well take you down next year. Maybe. USA, No. 1 in War Overall education? No. 22. Hey, Slovenia, dont look behind you... were on your tail. Wealth per capita? No. 20. What? No style points for level of greed? Democratic rights and liberties? No. 15. Even with a head-start were running with the nags. Women in political offices? No. 97. Behind Venezuela, Iraq and Afghanistan. Work-Life balance? No. 23. Behind former Soviet minions Hungary and the Slovak Republic. Overall gender equality? No. 20. Getting slapped silly by such as Nicaragua, Rwanda and the Philippines. Peace (security from crime, repression, and/or armed conflict)? No. 81. Well, its hard to be No. 1 in the manufacture, use and sale of weaponry and do well in this category. Hey, priorities are priorities. Global Peacefulness Index? No. 101. Stand back, Angola, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan! Environmental Quality? No. 52. And thats with the EPA. Imagine how much worse we could do without it, as conservatives propose! Read the rest here: conservativemyths/10myths.html (Yes, I posted this a few days ago. I finally finished reading it. A bit over the top in places but mostly accurate.)
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 05:49:42 +0000
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