What is American Metrics?

I'm Robert Ritz, and American Metrics is my weekly exploration of measuring American progress from first principles. I've seen how difficult it is to find consensus on what truly matters when evaluating national success. Are we educating our children well? Creating opportunities for innovation? Building a healthy society? These fundamental questions should drive our metrics.

I don’t want American Metrics to add to the noise of partisan statistics. Instead, I want to look at the data in a clear, honest way and make it understandable to everyone (or as many people as possible).

I'll dive into data that helps us understand where America truly stands on issues that matter: education, economic opportunity, innovation, health, our standing in the world, and quality of life. My approach is straightforward: find meaningful data, analyze it objectively, and present it clearly.

I'll be publishing one in-depth analysis each week, focusing on quality over quantity. Think of American Metrics as a different type of national report card. I want to track changes over time and highlight both improvements and areas needing attention. I aim to build thematic dashboards over time, creating a comprehensive picture of American progress measured from first principles.

If you're interested in understanding America through data rather than rhetoric, I invite you to join me on this journey.