7.17.2008

Distress Symbols: Startling statistics on the state of the union

New studies on American rankings on the well-being of its citizens and its human development progress worldwide are shocking to say the least. From several reports today:

10.5 Misery Index rating (unemployment + inflation): highest since Jan. '93

42 U.S rank in life expectancy

24 American rank in life expectancy among the top 30 most affluent nations

30 Average life expectancy gap between residents of Mississippi and Connecticut, in years

24 Percentage of the global prison population incarcerated in the U.S.

5 America's percentage of world population

50 Average life expectancy gap between Asian Americans and African Americans, in years

6.6 Energy price increase in June, as a percentage

5 Annual percentage increase in retail prices (as of June), the biggest 12-month change since May 1991

47 million Approximate number of uninsured Americans

10.7 million American children living in families with incomes of less than $1,500 per month

85 Percentage of Americans who believe the country is on the wrong track

52 Percentage of Americans who believe the "American Dream" is no longer attainable (according to a new TIME/Rockefeller poll)

48 The United States' rank in world press freedoms, of 169 countries

2 The United States' rank in human development in 1991

12 The United States' rank in human development today

2 The United States' rank in per-capita income among 177 countries

Image: Upside-down U.S. flag, a naval symbol of distress, not a flag desecration as some believe.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

this is amazing! holy crap

Anonymous said...

Amazing? That's not exactly how I would describe these stats. How about "a fucking disgrace" instead?

Anonymous said...

47 million americans is a lie. Persons in this country illegally, need to be deported, not given health insurance.

Paul Schmelzer said...

Who said anything about undocumented immigrants?

Further, what figure would you have us look at? Perhaps the one by the Lewin Group -- a wholly owned subsidiary of UnitedHealth -- that Republicans like to toss around? It's much lower, but even more suspect than this one by the Social Science Research Council. If you've got a credible link, anonymous commenter, I'd like to see it. If not, shove off.