American Exceptionalism score card The United States thinks of itself as the greatest country in the world. Maybe even the greatest of all time. Because of this awesomeness, it has the right, if not the obligation, to tell the rest of the world what to do. Yay America.


Measure U.S. World Rank
(For source, click rank)
GRADE1
1 Income equality 99th
out of 139
D
2 Life expectancy 42nd
out of 223
A
3 Number of years lived after retirement 56th
out of 68
F
4 Educational achievement of 15 year-olds 25th
out of 31
F
5 Education spending vs. military spending 98th2
out of 114
F
6 Press freedom 46th
out of 180
B
7 Infant mortality 56th
out of 224
B
8 Health care efficiency 44th
out of 51
F
9 Alzheimer's or dementia related deaths 190th
out of 192
F
10 Pct. of population that is stressed 106th
out of 122
F
11 Pct. of population that is depressed 65th
out of 122
C
12 Access to water & sanitation 35th
out of 122
B
13 Asthma related deaths 24th
out of 192
A
14 Divorce rate 34th
out of 34
F
15 Gender education equality 1st
out of 122
A
16 Gender wage equality 67th
out of 136
C
17 Mandated paid maternity leave 38th
out of 38
F
18 Tax rate 30th
out of 141
B
19 GDP per capita 10th
out of 211
A
20 Cancer related deaths 135th
out of 192
D
21 Suicide rate 130th
out of 192
D
22 Autism rate 105th
out of 120
F
23 All-time, Winter Olympic medals 2nd
out of 204
A
24 All-time, Summer Olympic medals 1st
out of 204
A
25 Single parent households 26th
out of 30
F
AVERAGE GRADE C

1 Grades based on rank percentiles: A=80-100, B=60-79, C=40-59, D=20-39, F=0-19.

2 Based on education expenditures and military expenditures from the CIA.




American Exceptionalism score card The United States thinks of itself as the greatest country in the world. Maybe even the greatest of all time. Because of this awesomeness, it has the right, if not the obligation, to tell the rest of the world what to do. Yay America.
American Exceptionalism - Report Card

It's called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it. – George Carlin

“Peel a few layers back and the rise of faith in American exceptionalism doesn't evince superiority. It indicates fear.” – Terrance McCoy
"And believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy.  It’s part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us such a world power." - Barack Obama speaking at DreamWorks studio in November, 2013.

A REALITY CHECK
Those of us who were raised in the United States were taught that this country is the most exceptional country in the world. We are "the best and the brightest", have the world's greatest democracy and by far the best standard of living. Except it's not true.
 
Greater international travel and the sharing of world knowledge via the internet have made us aware that other countries excel in areas in which we may have previously topped the charts. This comes as a shocking reality to many.
 
A recent United Nations report points out many of our serious flaws including civilian drone strikes, targeted assassinations and the continued operation of GITMO. Domestic violations include inhumane treatment of migrants, dragnet surveillance, widespread use of solitary confinement, criminalization of homelessness, racial profiling, etc., etc.
 
St. Pete for Peace has done extensive research to compare the status of the United States to other countries with some surprising results. By clicking on the blue numerical links on the American Exceptionalism Report Card on the left, you can review the source of the data and read more in detail about each category.
 
This information is not intended to be a negative reflection of America as much as it is a reality check. Our belief in our international superiority is based on wishful thinking rather than the truth. Instead of continuing to fall behind, we have an opportunity to face our deficiencies and learn from other countries. Are America's best days behind her? This may be true if we refuse to acknowledge our true place in the world.


SELF-APPOINTED LEADERS OF THE FREE WORLD
American exceptionalism, manifest destiny, and the notion that the U.S. is God's chosen country, has made a comeback.


In fact, in the context of the current anti-Russia climate, the Washington establishment is whipping people into a pro-America hysteria that much of the country has seemingly bought into.

Started in 1929 by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin -- ironically as a condemnation of the American working class’ unwillingness to foment revolution -- the expression “American exceptionalism” has only recently become the rallying cry of cheerleaders for the U.S.
 
Used as a justification for the U.S. to militarily intervene in foreign countries in order to 'bring liberty and democracy to the rest of the world', the U.S. neoconservative movement made the phrase go viral leading up to the 2012 presidential elections.  Now, the expression, and the sentiments behind it have become so prevalent that if you dare utter doubt that the U.S. is exceptional you run the risk of being labeled un-American.

In Sept. 2013, Barack Obama, speaking before the U.N. General Assembly, said, "The idea of American empire may be useful propaganda, but it isn't borne out by America's current policy or public opinion."  Obama continued,  "Some may disagree, but I believe America is exceptional".  The statement stunned world leaders and the next day Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an op-ed for the New York Times said "It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation."

In response to the United States supporting the violent uprising in Ukraine, led by anit-Semitic neo-Nazis, Putin said, “Our western partners, led by the United States of America, prefer not to be guided by international law in their practical policies, but by the rule of the gun. They have come to believe in their exclusivity and exceptionalism, that they can decide the destinies of the world, that only they can ever be right. They act as they please: here and there, they use force against sovereign states, building coalitions based on the principle ‘If you are not with us, you are against us.’"

But Obama has not backed down from this position.  On May 28, 2014 at the West Point commencement speech, Obama put forward his foreign policy vision, which he described as “might doing right,” declaring that “I believe in American exceptionalism with every fiber of my being.”  OK, Obama, now you are officially delusional.




American Exceptionalism Report Card
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