@Phil And yet by pretty much every measure of well-being they do better, cost of living measures don't incorporate education quality or health care expense volatility.

The US gloats about its high "real GDP per capita" but it apparently buys nothing good with it. Much of it just covers tolls people elsewhere don't have to pay.

@Phil Anyway, I can tell you what country I want the US to be more like, in governance and outcomes. To put aside oil wealth quibbles, I'll say Finland. What's yours? Don't say Argentina, that wheel is still in spin.