AMERICA'S GREATNESS OVERRATED??

Hey, maybe it's time we admit we aren't as great as we think?  It's easy to say you're great but, are we really?  Many blowhard politicians like to say it but, as we know, they like to say a lot of things that sound good but, aren't accurate.  Now this isn't to say there aren't any great Americans or that America hasn't accomplished great things throughout her history but it's necessary to consider the big picture.  Sadly, looking at the big picture means considering in your evaluation the last 40 years of monumental decline in our nation.  This slippage includes areas like education, economic power, increased crime and violence and the destruction of family.  In fact if you think about it for a minute  we are pretty average. at best.  Here are some examples that might make one rethink how we perceive our nation's strength and importance in the world.  These rankings come from http://rankingamerica.wordpress.com. 
America ranks 15th out of 30 in college and university graduation rates with 36.5% completing their degrees.  We cocky Americans like to think we are smarter than everyone else but, in this category Iceland is first at 63.1%   We aren't even in the top ten on this one.
In employment growth rates we come out as 26th out of 30.  This isn't very encouraging for our economy and shows these politicians are not giving us jobs, as they promise, but rather , "jobbing us."
In terms of reading we are a dismal 18th.  Enough said here.  It is startling to note that we great Americans rank 49th in Life Expectancy behind such countries as Singapore, Macau and Andorra.  Wow, shove that in your pipe and smoke it.  All our technology and medical marvels can't buy us a longer life than a Singaporian (sic) or a Macauan (sic), pretty sad.
Regarding satisfaction in family life we rank 9th at 89%,  trailing India at 96%.  America ranks 18th in freedom from corruption, 15th in Broadband access, 24th in Press Freedom......WHAT?  Doesn't everybody always refer to the First Amendment?  How in the h*ll can we be 24th in Press Freedom?  If this on doesn't put a knot in your bonnet, nothing will. 
Okay now not to beat a dead horse here but you get the idea.  In fairness, there are many categories in which we rank quite high but the point is we aren't number one in everything like so many arrogant Americans believe.  In fact in many categories, we are far from it.  
Unfortunately, only a few decades ago we were much higher up on most if not all of these categories but our rapid cultural decline in the last 40 or so, has without question, diminished us greatly.  
I don't believe we can begin to rebuild our greatness until we take a long and impartial look in the mirror, and get off the high horse regarding how we view ourselves.  It's evident we aren't going to get the truth from the politicians, since giving us that might make them look bad.  Looking too long at career politicians like Arlen Specter, Ted Kennedy, John Murtha,  John McCain, or any others like them who have "served" us for so long, might make us realize that we have been played by these guys and their ilk.  If they had truly been doing their jobs and cared about the country, instead of focusing on partisan and localized politics, and keeping themselves in power for decades,  perhaps America would be a lot better off.  We need to recognize we are on the downside of the mountain in regards to America's greatness and we need to do something about it sooner rather than later.