If you listen to many politicians and pundits these days, you would believe that the country is in dire straits. Opinion polls show that a clear majority of the country (~57%) believe that the country is headed in the wrong direction. Politicians from every political side like to say that the country is facing an existential crisis for immigration, climate change, health care, gun violence, crime, drugs … you name it. The reality is very different. While the country certainly faces some challenges, by most objective measurements, every day life has never been more prosperous or safe for most Americans. Let’s look at a few facts.
Crime. According to the Pew Research Center, about 80% of Americans believe that crime is rising. Those on the left site mass shootings while those of the right highlight crime committed by illegal aliens. The reality is that over the past 25 years, we have witnessed a historic reduction in crime. Violent crime in 1993 was 747 incidents per 100,000 people. Today that number is nearly 50% lower at 369. The same is true of almost any crime category (murder, property crime, burglary, motor vehicle theft). Crime peaked in 1980 and has fallen back to levels of the 1950s. We can debate the cause, but the reality is clear. As a nation, it’s safer today than at any point over the past 50 years. That is quite an achievement.
Jobs. The unemployment rate today is 3.5%. That is the lowest it has been since 1952 when it was 2.7%. Compare the unemployment rate to that during the recessions of 2008 (10%), 1982 (11%), or the 1930s (25%). Even the boom years of the late 1990s did not see an unemployment rate so low. Moreover, inflation has remained remarkably low. The current inflation rate is about 2%. Compare that to the peak rate of inflation of the 1979 at 13%. Economic times are pretty good!
Peace. How about foreign affairs? Are we in the middle of a World War like in 1918 or 1941? Are we in the middle of a Cold War with Russia? Or running a war draft for Vietnam in the 1960s? No, we are living in a time of relative peace. We do have troops in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Korea and much of Europe. However, if you look at military casualties, the current conflicts pale in comparison. We lost 405,000 troops in World War II, 116,500 in World War I, 58,000 in Vietnam and 36,500 in Korea. The current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq have resulted in approximately 7,000 military deaths. That is still far too many and NEP believes that these conflicts have gone on far too long. We owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to our military. Nevertheless, the reality is that Americans enjoy relatively peaceful times.
We could go on citing healthcare statistics, poverty levels, standards of living, and GDP, but you get the point. Today, Americans have it very good. We are a country of 330 million people, living in unparalleled wealth, safety and peace. We have the freedom to worship, the right to say what we want, to assemble freely, to vote for our preferred candidates, and due process. So next time you hear a politician saying how bad the current times are, remember that politicians like to portray the current state of affairs as worse than it really is because it makes them seem more important. Give thanks for our country and the freedoms, peace and prosperity that we all enjoy. America is thriving!
NewEnglandPolitics.com 