That's a blanket statement. There are cities in the West that are prosperous like places in the SE where the days are sunny and bright and the people are happy and kind. I lived on the east coast in Buffalo and moved to Phoenix, and the difference is night and day.
I think you can find that kind of contrast in pretty much any first world country, there certainly are bright spots in North America. Not everyone is freaking out and paranoid, although who knows what 10 years will bring. I certainly want to try living abroad.