I will certainly grant your point. Americans who have had an opportunity to spend time in other countries--outside of the tourist circuit--will definitely come to appreciate what works well in the U.S. But there is a caveat...

We have 50 semi-sovereign states in this union, and the services available--as well as the competence and efficiency with which they are delivered--varies tremendously from one state to the next. Several years ago I retired after working in Seattle, WA, and returned home to Hawai'i. Beautiful land, gorgeous people, unique culture--I can't imagine living anywhere else again.

But the bureaucracy is famous for its "my auntie has influence so I don't give a fuck" attitude. When I returned I had to transfer my WA driver's license to Hawai'i. Simple, no? No! It required going to a licensing office on three successive days--and the last day I spent eight hours waiting in line (fortunately, I was able to snag a chair).

So yeah ... we can find much to appreciate in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, but you are also right on when you say "we aren't perfect" ... and some places are more (or less) perfect than others.