Before comparing figures we should examine populations. If one nation has an aging largely homogenous population you would expect it to do better than another that copes with millions of impoverished immigrants, many of them illegal. US figures were probably just as lousy when they were taking shiploads of impoverished Irish and Italians not so long ago, but look what happened there.
Then there is the outside world as well. How does the US-arabic relations end up.How did the US-Japanese or US-German relationship end up? All the US needs to do is spend a few trillion making them rich. Who wants to be a suicide bomber when you can get a wide-screen TV if you work hard for 6 months? ;-)
Is the euro going to take over the international fincance market?Sure, any day now! ;-)
Is asia (china) really going to be the new economy and world power?Good question. It won't be long before China puts a man on the moon.
"... They ne'er cared for us
yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses
crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to
support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act
established against the rich, and provide more
piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain
the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and
there's all the love they bear us."
-- Shakespeare: Coriolanus, Act 1, scene 1
