Quote Originally Posted by ar81 View Post
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IN the past US did not need any government social programs for safety nets because communities and companies played that role, so it is understandable that people were reluctant to pay taxes for something they already did. But in the 1980s yuppie culture and greed flooded US and this social safety net was broken. Now Titanic (as portrayed in the movie) is a good representation of US society.
The "social contract" changed earlier than that....after great advancements in medicine and technology. Many things were too expensive for any average citizen OR community to afford, but no one wanted children dying from Measles or crippled by Polio. And we certainly didn't want to see retired teachers living in chicken coops, or widows and orphans begging in the streets. That's why Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid became important programs.

I just wanted to respond to that part of your post regarding supply/demand, and comparing nations in time-line. Developing nations still consider clean water, sanitary sewerage, mosquito netting, and Penicillin major health initiatives.