That's all noble and well but there are many ways in which people are helped by Govt in this society. As much as MANY like to believe that is all due to their cunning and genius, further and more extensive investigation strongly suggests that often it isn't.

We just witnessed it with bailout. The Stock Market only exists (particularly in its current state) because of the Government. 401ks plans (which everyone likes to boast about) are heavily subsidized by Government. Real Estate market in this country. Heavily subsidized by Govt..
The Government picks the winners and losers oft times in this society. We are loathe to admit it but it's mostly true.

Now this isn't to say that it's the Government's responsibility to "save" everyone. That's not their responsibility. They can definitely do more than they are doing and if people really believe that they can survive without assistance then maybe they should simply pay their fair share of taxes and refuse all forms of a handout the next time its offering.

Without Govt to "prime the pump" Wall Street collapses tomorrow.

Without Govt to "prime the pump" Wall Street collapses tomorrow.

Hard to argue with that. We are way past the point of these companies' stocks thriving without massive stock buybacks driven by zero interest rates. I've missed most of the stock run-up over the last decade because I was convinced prices would come back to reality. Now it's a rigged game (more than ever, at least).

We'll pretend this is all true, then why not buy index shares? If the game is rigged why not take part in the rigged game? Every American has access to the markets, you can get fees-free trading anywhere. If all the stocks do is go up this seems like a natural decision.

We'll pretend this is all true, then why not buy index shares? If the game is rigged why not take part in the rigged game? Every American has access to the markets, you can get fees-free trading anywhere. If all the stocks do is go up this seems like a natural decision.

This is where you are wrong. Access and opportunity are 2 separate things. A person lacking in disposable income cannot invest in anything.

As far as "pretending its true" we don't have to. It is. We can point to specific intervals in our country's history where we have thrown money at the market solely for the purpose of reinvigorating it.

Even when aren't doing that specifically we are subsidizing it heavily. That isn't capitalism its socialism.

I'm all for blaming those who make good money who waste it but in terms of people who live in poverty it's pretty outrageous to say "why not buy index shares?".

And the same government that props up Wall St, helps the poor through a myriad of different programs.

The child that grows up in a two parent home usually ends up working with Wall St money, not money for groceries and school lunches.

They are living in poverty overwhelmingly as a result of poor decisions and an entitlement mentality. America makes it so easy to make money its ridiculous. Nowhere, aside from rentier states when everyone gets an oil check from the government, has it even 1% as easy. Maybe Australia but even Australians dont have access to the American financial markets.

Americans are paid ludicrously more money than people around the world to do the same job. This across all sectors. Even oft-lamented "low paid" jobs like fast food workers make a ton of money relative to their peers.

WRONG
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/r ... ountry.jsp

Japan, Israel, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Belgium, France and Ireland are all more expensive to work in than the the USA. And did you know that Belgians make the same median income overall as do the lower 30% income-earners in the USA? That means your average low-wage American employee makes the same as a middle class Belgian, and they have an even high cost of living. Are they rioting in the streets? Last I checked no.

What is the minimum wage in Belgium?

We are talking about low income workers here. I doubt they are doing great either in Belgium.

...that's kinda my point. Low-income earners in the USA are doing better than all income-earners in Belgium, despite Belgium having a higher cost-of-living than the USA. Does anyone hear about the poverty crisis there? Do people riot in the streets and loot stores?

No. It is a distinctly American phenomenon to riot and loot despite having access to opportunity that is impossible literally anywhere else. America is truly wasted on Americans.

What is the minimum wage in Belgium?

We are talking about low income workers here. I doubt they are doing great either in Belgium.

What is the minimum wage in Belgium? If you are going to cite them, then it's kind of important how their low income-earners are treated.

It seems as if you are using the fact that the United States, on average, has incredibly high incomes while ignoring there is a wide disparity in those numbers.

What is the minimum wage in Belgium?

We are talking about low income workers here. I doubt they are doing great either in Belgium.

Belgium's cost of living is substantially lower than the U S.'s

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/c ... ry=Belgium

https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-livi ... es/belgium

What is the number in Belgium? From what I can tell, the minimum wage in Belgium is $21,373.97 per person. So, if we are comparing "households" it likely far exceeds what American households make on minimum wage alone. I don't know where to find the numbers for the lower thirty percent there so it may be even higher.

Belgium does not have a lot of employment. A lot of people are not earning that minimum wage eve, something in the neighbourhood of thirty percent of Belgians dont work. If you guys want to know more about Belgium you should visit, Bruges and Ghent are nice. Brussels is not. You can ask the Belgians why they are not rioting in the streets themselves, since they too have tons of unemployment and shitty low wage jobs.

You seem to be now making an argument that Belgium and the United States are significantly different, which makes your initial comparison pretty suspect.

I dont know what to tell you to LTG, numbeo is very reliable with their indexes and they have Belgium at a higher COL than the USA. If you dont believe that, I cant help you.

Don't think I much need your help.

I just pulled up 8 sources that all said the same thing. You haven't provided one. Sorry but blind faith doesn't quite cut it.

https://www.worlddata.info/cost-of-living.php