Your post has really made me think djplong. Inferior to other countries. That is quite a statement.

What countries are superior to the United States of America? Many questions come into my mind reading the list you put together that show this country's deficiencies. Most, if not all, are government run and/or highly controlled. Schools, airlines, transportation, energy... As for health care, we've already had this discussion on the very controversial source of world health care info.

If America is so lowly rated and inferior when ranked against "our peers" why are people flocking to this country for refuge? I suppose it is each individual's definition of greatness. I think the founding principles and liberties that this country was created on are the basis that make this the greatest country on earth. Free enterprise which makes for the pursuit of happiness, due process, speedy trails, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, the right to vote for our representatives, the right to protect ourselves and our counrty, .... "In Order to form a more perfect Union" not a perfect. That is the utopian dream that sucks people into believing everyone is equal and life can be perfect. That isn't based on reality.

Try having this conversation on a computer in China.