Misleading title, the article spells out quite a few legitimate reasons for this, none of which have to do with people's ability to procure passports: Tourism

Misleading title, the article spells out quite a few legitimate reasons for this, none of which have to do with people's ability to procure passports: Tourism experts and avid travelers attribute Americans' lack of interest in international travel to a few key factors, including: the United States' own rich cultural and geographic diversity, an American skepticism and/or ignorance about international destinations, a work culture that prevents Americans from taking long vacations abroad and the prohibitive cost and logistics of going overseas.