A few factoids, compliments of Foreign Policy Journal (and a few other sources):
The United States spends $7,290/ person on health care...53% more than the next highest medical services purchaser Norway, which spends $4,763/ person. Still, 1 in 6 American adults remains uninsured, medical costs eat up 1/6 of U.S. GDP, and Republicans continue to stonewall any attempts at reform.
1 billion people -- that's 1 in 6 -- suffer from chronic hunger worldwide. Yet Americans just keep getting fatter. According to a July 2009 report released by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2/3 of Americans are classified as "obese" or "overweight". yummy. 2/3?!?!?
Among OECD nations, Americans pay the lowest federal taxes on gas at $0.18. Even with state taxes, we pay just $0.23. Compare this with Turkey and Norway at over $3.00/gallon of fuel! We have absolutely minimal incentive to reduce our dependency on carbon-based fuel.
For all of you "our taxes are too high and ruining our children's future" people -- did you know that Denmark's top rate of personal income tax is 62%? Followed by Sweden at 57% and Japan at 50%? Gosh, kind of makes you wonder why the Republicans whine so much about the United States' top income tax bracket of 35%...for people who rank among the WORLD's RICHEST??? Another interesting tidbit - Denmark's education system (like many socialized countries) charges NO tuition through university completion for any Dane. Yet, here in America, only the richest can afford Ivy League schools (and subsequently make the "right" connections for election to Government office in order to pass laws that secure their minimal-payment tax structure....)
And just for kicks, how about viewing a video by my favorite Economist, Joseph Stiglitz, who challenges the concept of using "GDP" as a measure of progress by suggesting that, perhaps, economic output isn't the "end-all-be-all" measurement of a society's progress. Joe for Prez!