Tracking Our Downward Spiral: the Ways in Which America Still 'Leads' the World

According to Yes Magazine, amongst 20 of the world's wealthiest countries, America now has:

• the highest poverty rate, both generally and for children;

• the greatest inequality of incomes;

• the smallest amount of government spending (as a percentage of GDP) on social programs for the disadvantaged;

• the lowest number of paid holidays, annual leave days and maternity leave days;

• the lowest score on the UN's index of material well-being of children;

• the worst score on the UN's gender inequality index;

• the lowest social mobility (i.e. in America, more members of the lower and middle class remain stuck in that class than ever before);

• the highest public and private expenditure on health care (as a portion of GDP), and yet accompanied by:

-         the highest infant mortality rate

-         the greatest prevalence of mental health problems

-         the highest obesity rate

-         the largest percentage of people going without health care due to cost

-         the greatest number of low birth weight children per capita

-         the greatest consumption of anti-depressants per capita

-         the shortest life expectancy at birth (except for Portugal);

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