Ted Cruz is one of the most dishonest politicians in the United States, and has a habit of arguing with reporters who call him out on his frequent lies.
Yesterday he walked away from a British reporter in a snit when he was asked why school shootings happen only in the United States.
Cruz turned to snarl at the reporter, "Why is it that people come from all over the world to America? 'Cause it's the freest, most prosperous, safest country on earth. Stop being a propagandist," before heading for the exit once again.
Let's fact check Cruz's claim:
The United States is the 15th freest country in the world, according to the Human Freedom Index Report for 2021, published by the Cato Institute in Washington DC and the Fraser Institute in Vancouver Canada.
The United States is the 20th most prosperous country in the world, according to the Legatum Institute's 2021 global Prosperity Index. (The top five most prosperous are Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland)
The United States is the 69th most safe and secure country in the world, again according to the Legatum Institute's 2021 global Prosperity Index. ("Safety and Security in the United States has weakened in the past decade, falling 11 ranks to 69th in the world. The country's low ranking continues to result from high levels of violent crime, with the United States ranking 109th in the world for homicides.")
