What might be some logical reasons why most Americans do not have a passport?

Question

What might be some logical reasons why most Americans do not have a passport?

Answer 1

Most U.S. citizens never travel to other countries.  Our own country is so large that most of us will never get to see most of its different geographical regions.

Answer 2

Who says most Americans don't have passports.  I disagree!

Answer 3

the majority of Americans do not travel outside of the country and as a result, do not need a passport. something like 25% have a passport.

Answer 4

First and foremost the lack of identity laws in the country.

Second so many have not traveled outside the US other than canada and mexico where it was common that a passport was not required.

It has only been this year that this rule for passport requirement has been enforced so so now everyone travelling out of the country needs to get one.  There are thousands who have travelled to different states and never been outside the country.  So no need of a passport.  Remember that all police agencies accept a birth certificate and a drivers lic as ID.  So a federal ID form was not necessary.

It'll be nice when a national ID system is in place and one ID format is adopted and everything goes onto the microchip embedded in the ID card.  It can have drivers lic info, medical info and much more.

Answer 5

their everyday life is just so hard the thought of ever leaving the country has never occured to them.

Answer 6

"Woody" is right.  The U.S. is so large and has so many great places to travel to, Americans have a lot of places to vacation right here.  Also, it is very far and very expensive to travel to other places besides Mexico and Canada as we then have to leave the continent.  In Europe people travel to other countries more commonly because the countries are so much smaller and closer together.

Answer 7

Americans do not travel abroad very much. Only 20-25% of people have a passport.  Australia, which is also a very big country (with only 21 million people) has closer to 80% passport ownership (and we have to go furthur than anyone to go overseas).   I travel regularly all over the world and run into more Ozzies than Americans despite our huge population difference.  I think there are a few reasons for this:

1) Americans get less annual leave than any other wealthy western countries (most of Europe and Australia get around 5 weeks off per year)

2) America has a lot of poverty and working poor.  These people could never dream of overseas travel.  The very low minimum wage you have contributes to this.

3) Culturally, it is quite an inward looking country.  People have no idea about the rest of the world.

4) It is a very money obsessed culture and people would rather accumulate assets or spend it on their appearance than take off and experience the world.