Comparisons

I really don’t want to be seen as someone who knocks his country. But, at the same time, I believe in facing reality. Here are some comparisons between the US and other countries that concern me:

• Europe has 87 prisoners per 100,000 people, US has 685.
• According to the World Health Organization the US is the largest spender per capita on health care but ranks 37^th in quality of service.
• In GDP per hour the US ranks behind Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and France.
• Per the OECD, one American adult in five is in poverty, one in fifteen in Italy.
• The EU gave away $36.5 billion in development aid in 2003, the US gave $12 billion.
• Each American lets 20 metric tons of carbon dioxide into the air each year. Each European exhausts nine.

Do these comparisons concern you?