The US is starting to feel like a developing nation (opinion)

I am a 40 something economics professor. I have been spending a lot of time pondering and thinking. I am starting to feel like the United States is slowly becoming a developing nation.<br><br>Let me explain what I mean by this. Historically, developing nations (the term that essentially replaced third world) were defined by certain characteristics. Low per capita GDP, high birth rates, high infant mortality, low life expectancy, essentially no access to tertiary education, limited access to healthcare, poor infrastructure, little in the way of social safety nets, high levels of corruption, poor governance, and a small elite class.<br><br>Well, the US has essentially checked most of those boxes based on my observations. The middle class continues to shrink. The wealthy continue to get wealthier. Our national infrastructure is in poor shape and nobody wants to pay any taxes to fix it. Our infant mortality rate is higher than Cuba's. We have essentially no safety nets. We have *no* universal access to healthcare, we rank 34 in infant mortality and 34 in access to healthcare. Healthcare is so expensive that people essentially go bankrupt trying to pay for it. Only 34% of Americans have a college degree (tertiary education). The availability of good quality internet is based on your income level and where you live. Or access to clean water essentially comes down to your income level and where you live. <br><br>The US has essentially become a place to "make it or break it". And if you can't make it, you're often in a world of trouble. We essentially have no social safety nets. Our infrastructure is getting worse. The wealthy continue to accumulate most of the wealth. Our birth rate is going up, essentially because it's too expensive to educate and pay for birth control for everybody.<br><br>Essentially, if you live in a good neighborhood, and you have a good job, and you make good money, you can live a good life and have access to most of the things you need. But if you don't, you're largely on your own. And the US is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. <br><br>Am I being dramatic? Is this a reasonable take?