"It’s much less expensive/complex to immigrate to NZ than to the US based on my experience. Especially if you are skilled." This is because they have a problem keeping their population up and have a immigration system in place to prioritize English speaking people with skills. The US doesn't have these discriminatory policies and doesn't have a problem attracting people or keeping them. As far as the "USA" goes people really should be looking at states because each state has their own polices just like each OECD country does. Could the US make a very discriminatory immigration policies and keep non white people out, sure (this is what Trump wanted to do), could the US jack up the sales taxes on the poor just to give them the same health care as they do through Medicaid, sure, would the VOTERS(we) vote for these, no. Also NZ doesn't need to spend money on defense or be engaged in the worlds politics, NZ is a like a gated community who can ignore all the worlds issues, something the US has chosen not to do. Comparing the two is ridicules. BTW Germany tried to pull this and their policies are now causing chaos in Europe.