The rankings are dependent on things such as economic freedom and available government services, so the reality is that the survey is only representative of the preferences of the survey creators. Nevertheless, it does seem to suggest that the U.S. has lost is luster, and that people will choose the countries that provide the most benefits, whatever those benefits may be, when given a choice. The surprise is that Germany this year is ranked at number one.
Germany secured its top spot for a number of reasons, its economy key among them. The country is also, as U.S. News notes in a country profile, home to low unemployment, popular around the world, known for its high-quality brands and adept at using soft power abroad. And U.S. News credits Germany’s leadership for its global rise.
“Germany’s ascendance as a world leader comes largely from the work of [Chancellor Angela] Merkel,” Drew writes. “Only the third German since World War II to hold the chancellorship for a decade or more, Merkel has shown decisive leadership on several issues. That is a change. Traditionally, Germans are consensus seekers who have chosen multilateral strategies over acting in a singularized manner.”
The moral of the story is that the U.S. cannot rest on her laurels. Mr. Obama has done so much to drive down the general estimation of the world regarding the United States that the result to this poll is not surprising. It is now time to find someone who can re-instill the pride and the performance of the country, we have had enough apologists and naysayers in office for a lifetime.
Because of what’s in the White House.
No surprise.
Shocking! NOT