Why does the United States have such poor social safety nets compared to other rich countries?

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Because we're a country founded on personal liberty. We've been raised and conditioned to think that ANY gov't involvement in our lives is a move towards "socialism" (a dirty word in American society).
Don't get me wrong I believe in laissez-faire as much as the next guy. But as it says in the Constitution "to promote the general welfare". I believe the the gov't's role is to Regulate when the free market is incapable of or unwilling to Regulate itself.

[NamerOfStars]

Because social safety nets cost money, and that ends up imposing restrictions. Restrictions stifle innovation (they do good things too, of course, but you asked for an explanation), and the culture of the US is much more individualistic than collectivist.

[Anonymous]

Simple. Americans don’t care about their countrymen. That culture simply doesn’t exist. No one does anything—ANYTHING—for the public good here. There is always a catch, always an angle being played, and always someone being fucked over. In America an unfortunate person is not someone to be pitied, they are someone to take advantage of, to market goods and services to—for a price.

[FilmGuy93]

We actually have fairly extensive social safety net programs, they're just state-run, instead of federally run. The reason we don't tend to have those programs on a federal level is because of all the bloat in our budgets and how we spend the money on other things.

[MikeInHawaii]

I used to live in a condo in Waianae, on the west coast of Oahu. It was beach front, had three pools and a lagoon. I was one of the only people in the building with a job, most were on Section Eight. I could also see people buying steaks with EBT cards and loading their groceries into Tahoes and Cadillacs. Our Welfare recipients live better than the average European.

Our safety net is a freaking hammock!

[TwoToTooTutu2]

The US is NOT a country of rich European Aristocrats like Norway. We are NOT to be compared to nations with 1000s of years of development, noble families who trace their families back to before Christ and make up 90% of the population. We are American like Mexico, Brazil, Paraguay etc...

Just because my country has 10× the industrial capabilities, considerably more GDP, a massive military, and arguably the most global influence on the world. Doesn't mean we're privileged Aristocrats.

[mark000h]

Because Americans believe in individual achievement over collectivism. Americans are fiercely independent and value an "each for their own" mentality and despise state-run collective entitlements.

[Soteris]

Also, they are dumb.

[mark000h]

@Soteris no, we just don't believe in socialist free crap for lazy people who refuse to work.

[Soteris]

I dont really care what you do or do not believe in. I am far more interested in results and they speak for themselves. What the rest of the developed world does works well where as what USA does.. well, lets just say there is a reason USA is known for mass shootings.

[Anonymous]

Because Americans are retarded and believed the story that only big business should get help from the tax payer and that social safety nets and universal healthcare are for communists.

[Dargil]

Like Obamacare? Like Medicare? Like Social Security? like AFDC? etc. etc.

Nothing is free. How is it paid for in other "rich" countries"? Taxpayers.

[exitseven]

If the safety nets are so bad how come the future democrat voters are streaming across the southern border by the hundreds of thousand?

[WindAtMyBack]

It doesn't. It's the biggest welfare state in the world.

[jshm2]

Because it isn't really a rich country, more an informal empire being used by others.

[Table4YTwo]

Because of people like Joe Biden, he is the enemy of the common people.

[Anonymous]

Why should there be safety nets for people who choose not to work or be productive citizens.. It's not my job to pay for someone else's poor choices.

[OddBeMe]

Billionaires figured out how to convince half the country to vote against their interest.

[Guy13]

What other rich countries are you referencing?

[Soteris]

Every other developed nation. Quite literally every other developed nation.

[Guy13]

don't talk in circles... you're just ranting? Where, I work internationally and have property globally... where else have you resided

[Soteris]

I have family in Finland, USA, Germany and Sweden. I have personally lived in Sweden and Italy. What I say is irrefutable though, USA does have poor social safety nets and its a common feature of other developed nations. Its basically to the point where you use social safety nets to define what a developed country is in the first place.

[Soteris]

Oh yeah.. and I also got family in Switzerland. Newly moved in there actually. Looking forward to visiting since they are rich and got an amazing house that we can use during our stay.

[jimmy2]

I think you answer that... rich