Unfortunately a lot of us do understand this, but our representatives (who definitely know this) don't care or are actively opposed to making improvements other than reducing taxes (which hurts more than helps, IMO).
Of course: "No one" is an obvious exaggeration. It wouldn't surprise me, however, if a great many members of Congress didn't understand much about other countries' healthcare / welfare / transportation / energy / etc systems. I think they ought to, but many of them show little knowledge or curiosity about these subjects in their own country, and with an electorate in which fewer than half of all voters have a passport they face not much penalty for incuriousity about the wider world.
