11% isn't 'low poverty', especially in the richest of nations. it's vulgar.
capitalism isn't some miracle that created the current american politicoeconomic environment. the single biggest (but not sole) factor (i.e., luck) in that was geographic: it just so happened 2 huge oceans separated us from the biggest war in history.
cheerleading for capitalism is at best a non sequitur.
11% is amazingly low when huge parts of the world are at 50% [1]. Obviously we should strive to be better still, but let's not pretend that isn't a huge accomplishment that wasn't possible for the last several millenia of modern human existence.
This isn't the case just for the US but also for the UK and our fellow Europeans who also practiced Capitalism - even the ones who had to endure the great wars.
You are welcome to suggest an alternative but you will have to support it. The choice of Capitalism seems critically important, along with the choice of some sort of Democracy.
i'm not interested in simplistic ideological battles, but note that the recovery of all those european economies, as well as japan's, were helped mightily by a relatively unscathed america, largely for ideological reasons to make your conclusion seem plausible.
11% is a fucking travesty for the richest nations in history whose overabundance is downright, shockingly monumental. we should have exactly zero people who don't have secure food, shelter, and a modicum of dignity. that's squarely on capitalism along with (republican[0]) democracy.
[0]: not the political party; republics centralize power in the hands of representative 'elites', because we all know the msases are too stupid to know what's good for them.
I mean it's great to stand on mountains and tell everyone they're doing it wrong - but talk is free. You want to do better than 11%? Do it.
You don't even need to get on a plane. Go talk to your local homeless community. Share your ideas about how you're going to put them all in homes. You can make sandwiches and distribute them if nothing else.
Form a Non-Profit. Hire people. Make it happen. Prove us, the collective masses, too stupid to know what's good for us.
capitalism isn't some miracle that created the current american politicoeconomic environment. the single biggest (but not sole) factor (i.e., luck) in that was geographic: it just so happened 2 huge oceans separated us from the biggest war in history.
cheerleading for capitalism is at best a non sequitur.