HOW GREAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE

News Flash Ladies and Gentlemen…

10 Ten World’s Richest Countries:

10.  The Netherlands with an average income per capita of $40,973

9.  Switzerland with an average income per capita of $41, 950

8.  Hong Kong with an average income per capita of $45,944

7.  The United States with an average income per capita of $46,860

6.  United Arab Emirates with an average income per capita of $47,439

5.  Brunei with an average income per capita of $48,333

4.  Norway with an average income per capita of $51, 959

3.  Singapore with an average income per capita of $56,694

2.  Luxembourg with an average income per capita of $81,466

1.  Qatar with an average income per capita of $88,222

Qatar

Interestingly, the United States has a median income of $50,000+/- and the average worldwide per capita income is $8,000 with the median worldwide per capita income is $2,000.

While most of us understand average, the median represents that number where half the income levels are above and half are below.

So, if Americans think that they are so great:

• Why are they only ranked 7th?
• Why is America’s high school system ranked 17th in the world?
• Why does the United States rank number 1 in obesity?

If America is so great:

• Why do we spend so much money on elections but not on education?
• Why do we spend so much time focusing on celebrities who have fallen from grace?
• Why do we have so much drug abuse among our professional athletes who are role models?

If America is so great:

• Why is there so much greed on Wall Street?
• Why did our banks make such bad investments?
• Why did our Real Estate market turn upside down?

If America is so great:

• Why cannot Democrats and Republicans compromise and agree?
• Why is there so much corruption in politics?
• Why are all politicians wealthy?

If America is so great:

• Why is there still a lot of discrimination?
• Why did the Catholic Church and the Boy Scouts hide child molestations?
• Why is our average divorce rate still lingering at 50%?

I am not as old as my mother is but I feel like I am an old man who is about to retire but who cannot for another 5 years because those leaders in whom I placed my trust, deceived me.  And, believe it or not that really disappoints me almost as much as knowing our country is no longer that great. 

This feeling is far worse that finding out your parents lied to you about the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and the Easter Bunny. 

It is far worse than sitting in the back seat of the family car observing your father break the speed limit while suspending my driving privileges when I exceeded the speed limit.

It is far worse than hearing someone say:  “…if I did not do it, I knew someone else would.”

Ladies and Gentlemen, this has nothing to do with being innocent and naïve because my business career had lasted for over 44 years and I have managed to survive despite all the tire tracks and knives pulled out of my back.  It is merely disappointing that such a great country has managed to fall so far in such a brief period of time (1776 to 2012).