CMV: There's no good reason why the US is better off than other developed countries

I'm not trying to be a "socialist" in this, just looking at statistics on different countries. It's clear that most of the countries in Western Europe have better overall statistics than the US. I know the US is a melting pot of people, but if so many people from other countries move here for a better life, it must be pretty nice right? I know that this is a common topic on Chambers, and I'm just trying to make my point clearer to people who are against socialism. Please show me how the US is better, because I just can't find it. <br><br><br>Here are some statistics I have found from different countries: <br><br>* The US is one of the only countries where healthcare isn't mandatory. It costs the average American $14,500 per year for health insurance. In Germany, you pay $430 a month for health insurance, or $5,160 a year. The US life expectancy is 77.3, which is lower than many countries where healthcare is free, such as Switzerland at 83.6 or Italy at 83.5.<br>* Education costs are high in the US, especially if you are trying to go to college. The average cost of tuition is $21,600 per year, which is the highest in the OECD. Germany offers free tuition to all college students. This seems like it would lead to a more educated population. The US has a literacy rate of 86.2%, while Germany is at 97%. Germany also has a much lower poverty rate than the US, at 15.7%, while the US is at 33%.<br>* Unions in the US are not allowed to negotiate wages. In Germany, wages are negotiated by unions. Germany has a low unemployment rate of 3.5%, while the US is at 6%. Germany also has a much higher average income, at $34,400 a year. The US average is at $25,800.<br>* The US is the only developed country where it's not illegal for companies to pay workers minimum wage. In Germany, the minimum wage is $13 an hour, which is more than half of the average wage. Germany also has a higher average income. <br><br><br>I understand that this is an easy list of statistics, but I don't see where the US excels. It seems like if we made things better for the average person, we'd be a better country than we currently are.