THE BOOK HAS JUST BEEN PUBLISHED!! CHECK IT OUT.

We’re Number One! Really?

In Many Domestic Policy Categories, We’re Not

Number One—Not Even Close

How Could This Happen in the Wealthiest, Most Powerful

Country on Earth?

What has happened to the United States? This website highlights the major findings of a new comprehensive international study, We’re Number One!? America’s Uncertain Standing in the World (Routledge, August 2025). The book looks at how the United States compares to other industrialized, democratic countries in major domestic policy programs. All the data come from international rankings published by over thirty agencies and institutions. This is the frank, unequivocal conclusion: in many areas of domestic public policy, the United States has fallen behind, sometimes embarrassingly so. With a country so rich in talent, in wealth, in vibrancy and energy, why, in comparison to others, does the United States perform so poorly? In the consequential areas of health care, equity and justice, education, elimination of poverty, protection of democracy and its fundamental values, stewardship of the environment, and more—the United States has fallen behind. In too many categories, we’re not Number 1, we’re more like Number 20, or 30, or even worse. Which countries are doing better and are we open and willing to learn from them?

All the rankings found below were published before the second Trump administration. This website will be updated as more and more policy decisions are made and implemented. We’ll see what impact Trump’s actions have on future rankings. Make America great again? Let’s take a look.