We're No. 1 !!!!!

[marmar]

http://defendingthepublicgood.org/

[LWolf]

1. Shameful.

:(

[Duval]

23. Sickening. n/t

[Yavapai]

26. Seeing this makes me feel like #2

[MedicalAdmin]

35. #2 - you're an optimistic little, er, optimist, ain't ya?

[HappyCynic]

90. Think bathroom

I believe the #2 being referred to wasn't ranking (but probably rank, if you know what I mean).

[Enthusiast]

33. Wait until the Ryan plan

takes effect.

[SusanaMontana41]

98. We won't let that happen.

Love your tag, btw!

[Liberal_in_LA]

64. +10

[rurallib]

2. They should stick our stats in the middle so it would look like

we are giving our citizens the big finger, which we are.

[Initech]

67. We pretty much are a big middle finger to the world.

In the immortal words of the late, great George Carlin: "Don't you find it just a little bit strange that Ronald Reagan had an operation on his asshole, and George Bush had an operation on his middle finger? What are these men trying to tell us?"

[RockaFowler]

3. We should be so proud

No wonder we are so angry in this country. We are the have-nots and have-nothings

[doc03]

5. But the anger has been directed to the have-nots and

have-nothings instead of the rich?

[50000feet]

47. Doc, you put your finger on the matter

in your reply. Viewing somewhat from afar (Canada), I can see the US culture quite easily in ways it differs from Canadian (and particularly rural Tommy-Douglas-Saskatchewanian) culture. There is, for lack of a better term, a spirit I've observed in US culture that generates its political and economic systems. That spirit, or deep implicit attitude, is in my experience deeply shared among the population such that the elite who now rule you and affect lives across the globe look to me to be but systemic outgrowths of that spirit or attitude. It's therefore not surprising to me, after some considered thought, that the electorate in the US vote for the people who harm them. The latter, after all, embody something of the same fundament or attitude that drives, from a deep level, general American trends, thinking, feeling and decision-making.

So what is that attitude? Think: freedom, American Dream, individualist responsibility, anti-government (anti-social anything-at-all). I add aggression to that mix as US culture is generally less developed than cultures, like Europe, that have worked through to some degree natural human aggression.

But we're called socialists up here. I say drop the "-ist." Women generally understand this distinction, so add 'masculine' to my adjectives above. Don't your politicians bury care at some strange ritual?

[Nay]

50. Thanks for that observation, 50000ft. As a citizen of both the US and

Canada, I have felt exactly this way. My mother was Quebecoise, and I was able to apply and get Canadian citizenship through her a few years ago. It has been one of my great regrets that I did not grow up, marry, and have a family in Canada. I now have grandchildren and have trouble imagining leaving them behind, although I think of it every day. Mr Nay and I visit Canada every couple of years, and the moment we cross the border we heave a great sigh of relief. It is a totally different feeling, attitude, and culture.

Many have commented on the US Scotch-Irish immigrants from 100--200 years ago, and how their recalcitrant you-can't-make-me-do-anything attitude has shaped the South, especially. My point is always that Canada certainly has that same contingent in its population, but has generally avoided the whole me-first attitude despite that. Why is that? I have always felt that the US, especially in the last 70 years, became an artificial COMMERCIAL culture at the behest of the rich people who have always ruled things. They took advantage of the whole "I've got mine and F**K YOU" and took it to unprecedented levels, replacing and/or co-opting the culture of ordinary people just in order to extract the most money in the quickest time. They've molded and propagandized us to the point that nearly everyone I know no longer votes in their own interest or the interests of the nation as a whole.

All I ask is that if things go completely crazy (they're nearly at that point now, IMHO) that I be allowed to quietly live out the remainder of my days on Vancouver Island....

[dixiegrrrrl]

55. All I ask is that you adopt me.

Things have gone crazy quite some time ago.

[Nay]

91. So sorry, Dixie! Wish I could adopt you and take you with. But I'm

trying to get my own adult son his Canadian citizenship too, and it looks like I may not be able to extend it to the second generation. We'll see.

[upi402]

85. I'm almost there

My dad was Canadian as a boy. I just need to locate his death certificate and apply for his birth certificate copy.

We may go to S.E. Asia if not. But it wont last long here IMHO. Dropping the price of my last house in the states Friday. Done.

Thanks for the breath of fresh air.

[Lorien]

22. Ruled over by those who can never have enough. nt

[zeemike]

4. Those are eye popping stats.

K&R thanks

[Scuba]

6. These charts should be plastered everywhere!!! thanks for posting. n/t

[dotymed]

105. Yes

That is a Great Idea. We could have one of our few Progressive movements like Moveon.org or someone to help us defray the costs of printing millions of these off and then post them all over every town in America. If the MSM or our government will not get these statistics out, then we should make sure that Everyone knows them.
Even here in the South, we could post them everywhere and then even the rednecks, neo-cons, rethugs, tea-partiers...etc.. can maybe be educated a little to what our true world status is (#1) and they can see WHY this IS.
IDK, it may help to wake up apathetic Americans up to the facts (at least) that there is a class war, we are losing and how the other "civilized" nations compare to us...

[krispos42]

7. YEAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!


GOD BLESS RONALD REAGAN! His leadership in the 80's worked out great for working families!! The green line says it all!

THANK GOD THE NEW DEAL IS NO MORE

:eyes:

[aggiesal]

49. Good chart as well, but ...

it doesn't show the affect that the Bush II tax cuts for the wealthy had on the graph,
because it stopped at 2002.

I'm willing to bet that since the richest (Red Line) crossed over at 2000, and dropped
back down, that the RED LINE is shooting higher and the BLUE LINE is dropping to
record levels.

I'd sure like to see this graph extended out to 2010.

[NYC_SKP]

8. Such simple, demonstrable concepts, nowhere to be found in public discourse...

one has to go to some crazy 'underground' internetz 'discussion board' to even find such things...

:grouphug:

K and R and how do we get these broader coverage???

:shrug:

[gateley]

88. I've long said that Obama needs to get up there with a white board or charts or

something that people can actually look at and GET. The "top 1% make 90% of the income" or whatever it is, just doesn't mean as much as these eye-opening charts. I don't see how anybody could look at these and still delude themselves we're the Greatest Country in the World.

(Hiya, NYC_SKP! :hi:)

[demmiblue]

9. KR&B

:kick:

[Deep13]

10. Do you have a link for this?

I would like to put it on my FB page.

Thanks.

[marmar]

13. It's on the top, right above the first chart.

nt

[Deep13]

16. Oops. Thanks. nt

[daggahead]

11. USA! USA! USA! n/t

[Logical]

12. Really great. But do you have a source link. Always good when posting data. NT

[gateley]

89. First Line in the OP nt

[xchrom]

14. Recommend

[femrap]

15. K and R

Disgraceful.

[Cali_Democrat]

17. K&R

[upi402]

18. All hail the UNIPARTY!

Yay! It's working!
Vote OUR for corporatism- it's less insane than the other guy's corporatism!:bounce:

:puke:

[HughBeaumont]

19. And the rest of us are covered in #2.

K & R.

[bluethruandthru]

20. The entire article - before the charts are posted is excellent.

It really lays things out the way they really are and shines a big spotlight on Americans arrogance and stupidity.

[raouldukelives]

21. K&R

[GeorgeGist]

24. Cherry picking ...

does a disservice to your cause.

[liberation]

30. I don't think that expression means what you want it to mean in this context...

unless you were being sarcastic :-)

[Hissyspit]

37. An awful lot of really important fricking cherries there in that OP.

[Lasher]

59. Would you be willing to share graphs that are more objective?

I don't think your cherry picking charge is justified but please elaborate.

[orbitalman]

25. Aren't we PROUD ? n/t

[Citizen Worker]

27. Yes indeed. We are Number 1, leading in nine out of ten categories. If only we would cut taxes for

the wealthy we may reach the Perfect Ten. Proud to be an American, I tell ya'.

[bobbolink]

28. Thank you so much for putting this altogether! Bookmarked. The other day I was telling someone

about the areas where the US is #1, but didn't have all of it.

Now I do, thanks to you. :yourock:

[Sonoman]

40. Check the text at the link.

I hope all is well, bobbolink. A lot of people around here have been plenty worried about you.

Sonoman

[sasha031]

29. K/R

[The Wizard]

31. It looks like we're exceptional

Everyone wave a flag and say American exceptionalism.

[Enthusiast]

32. Eye opening graphs. K&R.....nt

[nc4bo]

34. Thanks for finding and posting. K&R for more painful truth.

When will the blind see it?

[Terra Alta]

36. That's capitalism for you.

To anyone who says the US is the best place in the world to love -- these graphs prove otherwise. x(

[rucky]

38. This is obscene.

[Sonoman]

39. The text at link should be required reading.

I'm going to save this link for all of my RW associates' (I refuse to call them "friends") edification.

KnR

Sonoman

[Stumbler]

41. I usually remember the incarceration rate

...as we're #1 in both total number & percentage of population. Thanks for sharing the other important stats w/ us...

[bobbolink]

43. me, too, also, and I think we are very high in the number of executions.

What a joyful population we are.

[Plucketeer]

42. Just ask ANY Bagger or Ryan devotee

We're the GREATEST nation on earth! Yes indeedy!

[toddwv]

44. Yeah...but look at all the jobs that it's creating.

[bahrbearian]

45. USA USA USA

[Keith Bee]

46. The health cost chart is the most telling

We spend more than all of those "socialist" countries with government-paid care. Disgusting!

[robinlynne]

48. holy shit. This should be on posters placed throughout the congress and senate.

[walldude]

51. Number one with a bullet. n/t

[Solly Mack]

52. k/r

[girl gone mad]

53. k & r

U-S-A!!
U-S-A!!

:puke:

[flamingdem]

54. The GOP has really reduced our country, with gains for themselves (+Wall St. FCATS) nt

[Name removed]

81. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tomp]

102. absolutely.

it's getting to the point where one has to be blind not to see the complicity of the dems historically.

[LuckyLib]

56. This is an amazing article. Best quote:

"On Frontline, Washington Post veteran reporter T.R. Reid examined health systems around the world. In the process he interviewed the President of the Swiss Federation. Switzerland had dramatically changed its own health system in 1994 through a national referendum.

Reid: How many people in Switzerland go bankrupt because of medical bills?

Swiss President Pascal Couchepin: Nobody. It doesn’t happen. It would be a huge scandal if it happens."

[freshwest]

71. When I explained the rate of medical bankruptcy to friend in Europe, they couldn't understand...

Then they rented a copy of SICKO and were horrified.

Their conclusion:

The American government HATES the American People.

[KT2000]

57. GOP Dream comes true

and they have more to go.
They will not be happy until we rank with Somalia.

[liberal N proud]

58. That is just sick, what's worse, the assholes still are not happy

They want more from us. MORE

They want it all and they want it now!

[Change Happens]

60. Shame on those who can do something about this but instead look the other way!!!

What a fucking tragedy!

[mountainlion55]

61. sad,sickening and par for the course.

I agree with the dude from Saskatchewan. Its a shame but too many people in the U.S. are still comfortable in their gilded cages.:hippie:

[moblsv]

62. You don't want the US to end up being like Sweden, do you?

* not intended to be a factual statement

[Carni]

63. OMG THIS is PATHETIC!

This is truly disgusting.

[Snoutport]

65. best point i've read today :0)

[JDPriestly]

66. We have the most sociopathic society of the highly developed countries. That is what I see in

those graphs and statistics.

Looks like the "socialist" countries are the places to live. They seem to be doing better than we are.

I hate to say that. I don't think these numbers are an indictment for capitalism but they certainly are an indictment for the capitalism we are practicing.

[Turbineguy]

68. Living in

a republican paradise.

[Glimmer of Hope]

69. How sad. Does it get better from here?

[Corruption Winz]

70. Damn..... This..... is pathetic.

If I had a nickel for every time I heard this reported on Fox Views, I'd owe a buck fifty.

[sarcasmo]

72. Those charts show what corporate america has done to us.

[slipslidingaway]

73. knr nt

[RoccoR5955]

74. K & R... we have to hammer this one into the RepubliCONs heads! n/t

[AsahinaKimi]

75. meh

kowaisou!

[calimary]

76. Valuable displays - especially for those who process information visually!

Just so easy to see! I certainly notice glaring differences. Sorta smacks you in the face.

[Name removed]

77. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Canuckistanian]

79. I'm sure they'll be SHOCKED, SHOCKED I tell you

They know how to read statistics.

Anyway, the DLC is dead. WEll, not dead, just had a legal name change. We'll hear about it - someday. SOMEBODY must still be paying Ben Nelson and Joe Lieberman.

[Name removed]

86. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Canuckistanian]

92. The actual organization dates from 1985

But it may have had a significant effect before then as a movement.

[defendandprotect]

94. Well ...

Right wing movement started even before the Constitution . . . I would imagine!!

[Zebedeo]

78. What's "povery"? nt

nt

[OwnedByFerrets]

80. So much for that shit that we are the greatest country in the world....

thats only true if you are rich.

[bluerum]

82. Yeah that's pitiful. I am humilated.

[upi402]

83. Defending the Public Good dot org

:patriot:

[Name removed]

84. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Lifelong Protester]

87. Wow. that is devastatingly graphic.

Makes me feel as bad as I feel... if you know what I mean.
Thanks for sharing. I will go to the link to see if I can share it on FB and elsewhere.

[lonestarnot]

93. so saving BKmking, copying, printing for plane drop and generally wising up neighborhoods!

Thank you!!!!!

[Kablooie]

95. AND THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING!!! Wait till the GOP gets control of the government again! Yeehah!!

[glinda]

96. Print it off, fold it and give it to local Conservatives that you know.

[alfredo]

97. Damn

[guruoo]

99. knr nt

[guruoo]

100. knr nt

[LarryNM]

101. Not Realizing the Benefits from the Luck of the Draw

personally and nationally has become a curse. Likewise, a Corporatist Media structure has the same effect on the US Populace as Izvestia and Pravda did on the USSR.

[Obamanaut]

103. The comparison in the military expenditure chart could be improved

by closing all the 700+ military sites of varying size in the countries where they are located. Bring those troops and their dependents home, and over a period of time reduce the total number of active duty military via reduced recruiting efforts and normal attrition as enlistments expire.

It wouldn't completely level the chart, but it would improve it.

The military money saved could be used elsewhere on some of the other programs.

[florida08]

104. have seen charts before

but not like these. Grayson needs to show these on the floor of the House. The health care chart is telling. Those countries have single payer and we have 'stick 'em up'. The homelessness and child poverty is disgraceful for a country with this kind of wealth. Why do republicans hate Americans is a question I'd like to see answered. I asked my congressmen in an email..but of course it was totally ignored.

Thanks for posting

[midnight]

106. So we could whip out our deficit by cutting our military in half?

[midnight]

107. duplicate.

[RedCloud]

108. Bumped for those who may have missed this!

[WillyT]

109. Kick !!!

:kick:

[malaise]

110. Must read

Kick

[Change has come]

111. Kick

:kick: