The Machine Posted December 10, 2012 Report Share Posted December 10, 2012 The American quality of life has degraded somewhat... IS THE United States still the undisputed "Numero Uno"? asks Eric Fry at the Daily Reckoning. Not according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) "Where to be Born Index." A quarter of a century ago, America topped the list. Today, it is #16. This quirky EIU Index attempts to measure which country will provide the best opportunities for a healthy, safe and prosperous life in the years ahead. The index links the results of subjective life-satisfaction surveys — how happy people say they are — to objective determinants of the quality of life across countries. And the idea is to forecast which country would be best to inhabit 18 years out, when a baby born today becomes an adult. Obviously, the EIU's assessment is not the last word on a nation's quality of life, but it does at least provide food for thought...and it does corroborate a growing body of empirical data that suggest the American quality of life has degraded somewhat. While playing around with some numbers on the back of a Rancho Santana cocktail napkin, for example, we stumbled upon some shocking contrasts between Nicaragua and the US — shocking to us, at least. Last year, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — i.e. food stamp program — in the United States spent $7.4 billion more than it did the year before. $7.4 billion happens to be almost identical to the entire GDP of Nicaragua, a nation of 5.9 million inhabitants. SNAP used its incremental $7.4 billion to feed 4.4 million of America's poorest citizens. Meanwhile, all 5.9 million Nicaraguans — rich and poor alike — managed to "live on" $7.4 billion. Here in Nicaragua, the government is too poor to operate a SNAP program. In fact, the Nicaraguan government is too poor to do much of anything. Not only is it too poor to feed its own poor, but it is also too poor to create a maze of government agencies to hassle its citizenry. The government's entire annual budget is only about $1.6 billion, which is less than 1/50th the size of the SNAP budget. These comparisons tell us little about how things ought to be, but they tell us a lot about how things are. Specifically, they tell us that the United States spends a spectacular amount of money trying to "manage poverty." And yet, the more the US tries to manage poverty, the more poverty spreads. The ever-expanding budget of the FNS does not beget self-reliance; it begets ever-expanding government reliance. During the last four years, the number of Americans receiving food stamps has doubled from 23 million to 46 million, while the direct cost of providing that support has skyrocketed from $30 billion annually to $71 billion. (The FNS' total budget topped $100 billion this year). To continue the comparisons between the rich Americans and the poor Nicaraguans, the US spends 4.7% of its GDP on its military, while Nicaragua spends only 0.7% of its GDP. The US employs 13 times more police per 100,000 citizens than Nicaragua — 233 vs. 18. And yet, very few US cities are 13 times safer than Managua — El Paso, Texas being one of the rare exceptions. These sharp contrasts are exactly what one would expect when comparing the world's wealthiest nation to the Western Hemisphere's second poorest nation (top prize in that category falls to Haiti). Similarly, it should come as no surprise that the median income in Nicaragua is only 1/10th of what we Americans call the "poverty line." Net-net, the US is still a very, very rich country and Nicaragua is still a very, very poor country. That said; several gauges of America's economic condition have been deteriorating over recent years, at least relative to similar gauges of Nicaragua's economic trajectory. As the chart below illustrates, Nicaraguan GDP growth has staged a remarkable rebound from the war-torn decade of the 1980s. Meanwhile, US GDP growth has been downshifting from its robust pace of the '80s and '90s. More recently, the Nicaraguan economy has been producing rapid employment growth, while the US has been producing rapid unemployment growth. Regrettably, as the US private sector struggles to grow, the US government's debt burden is soaring. During the last six years, America's federal indebtedness has increased from less than 70% of GDP to more than 100%. During that identical timeframe, Nicaragua's government debt burden has decreased from more than 110% of GDP to nearly 70%. Why look at these trends? Because the next 25 years will not be like the last 25 years, guaranteed. The world always changes...but not always for the better. What if that portion of the world called "America" is changing for the worse? Just asking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinz Posted December 10, 2012 Report Share Posted December 10, 2012 For 9 years I've traveled for work. I've been to at least 10 different cities in Mexico, several countries in Europe, every state in the US, Thailand, Japan, and several more places... hands down the worst place I've experienced is Nicaragua. I don't care what it says on paper or what anyone else tells me... that place is a thief infested trashy $hithole. FACT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowGlobe7 Posted December 10, 2012 Report Share Posted December 10, 2012 The fact that Tulsa made it to a graph is impressive...to bad it shows a negative....we really are pretty cool here!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmcc Posted December 10, 2012 Report Share Posted December 10, 2012 For 9 years I've traveled for work. I've been to at least 10 different cities in Mexico, several countries in Europe, every state in the US, Thailand, Japan, and several more places... hands down the worst place I've experienced is Nicaragua. I don't care what it says on paper or what anyone else tells me... that place is a thief infested trashy $hithole. FACT. Washington DC?:Dsrc="http://dinarvets.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif"> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinz Posted December 10, 2012 Report Share Posted December 10, 2012 Washington DC? Washington DC is up there with my least favorite... and I can't stand the smell of Bourbon Street in New Orleans anymore... so it's up there as well. But Nicaragua... will always have a special place in my heart for my least favorite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jg1 Posted December 10, 2012 Report Share Posted December 10, 2012 Ya, I knew when the illegals slowed down their migration here that there was a problem. I think we have been saturated and now they are going back home because there is more work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog53 Posted December 10, 2012 Report Share Posted December 10, 2012 Nope these statistics dont tell you the real story Machine. I have been there and take my word for it its the last place on earth you want to be born. Sorry man this post is nonsense. this is the way I remember it 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umbertino Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 For 9 years I've traveled for work. I've been to at least 10 different cities in Mexico, several countries in Europe, every state in the US, Thailand, Japan, and several more places... hands down the worst place I've experienced is Nicaragua. I don't care what it says on paper or what anyone else tells me... that place is a thief infested trashy $hithole. FACT. And instead... What was your favorite place ( excluding your own country, I mean) among all those many you visited? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinz Posted December 27, 2012 Report Share Posted December 27, 2012 And instead... What was your favorite place ( excluding your own country, I mean) among all those many you visited?Read more: I really enjoyed Norway and Spain (Tarragona). Norway had the most beautiful scenery... and spain had alot of interesting history (large cathedrals, roman amphitheater, etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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