No. Taking these point-by-point:

extreme wealth inequality

Here's a map of countries by income equality. You'll notice that the most equal country in the world is Ethiopia, which is also one of the poorest. You can compare how equal people are, or how wealthy they are. Most American are wealthier than most Europeans.

the use of capital punishment

Some of our states use it, and others have made it illegal since 100 years before it was illegal in the UK or Germany. The variation is because we're a federation of self-governing states, and the federal constitution mostly doesn't interfere in state government. Ironically, the EU Charter interferes more on this issue and some other issues.

lack of universal healthcare

Again, this is because we're a federation, a real one.

neglected veterans and poor people

Our homeless rate is lower than Canada's or France's.

a counterproductive criminal justice system

Black Canadians are more over-represented than black Americans.

gun-related violence and homicides

The states of ours that border Canada have the same murder rates, sometimes lower (Minnesota/Saskatchewan), than their neighboring Canadian provinces despite having higher populations and looser gun laws. It's not as simple as activists want it to be.

the current administration's policies and agenda

Yet to be seen, really.

But no, we're not backward. We've had 400 years of continuous democratic government. We have arguably the most advanced democracy in the world, which other nations (which have been democratic for less than one lifetime) often see as backward because they don't know any better.