I saw this commentary and I think it is something we all know, but it sure is depressing and embarassing for those of us from the US.
Let's invert the question for a minute.
If it's so depressing and embarrassing, then why are so many international citizens trying to obtain U.S. residency/citizenship? Why are we building walls and surveillance systems to keep people out, instead of to keep us in?
We should all be emigrating to those other countries that are "so much better" for us. Our children should be aspiring to attend their colleges, too, instead of so many international students trying to get into our colleges. And, of course, we should all be trying to use those other country's social safety nets.
Unless, of course, the U.S. has other advantages that those other countries appear to lack.
Or maybe it just has to do with all of that unbridled freedom.
I'm not worrying about fixing Social Security until after we fix Medicare/Medicaid.