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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Why look to other countries for examples when we have the history of the United States itself as the best example.[/quote]

This is kind of silly - we don't have a lot of history to consider. The social safety net was really only formed after the Great Depression, in order to prevent such conditions again. It's still an experiment, and its outcomes remain to be seen. Plus, it was actually expanded under George W. and then reduced (slightly) under Obama. The problem is, as others have noted, that the U.S. does provide less to its citizens than other countries, but for the most part taxes them just the same. There are huge inefficiencies and inequities, some due to the sheer large/decentralized nature of the country.

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-05-16/the-u-s-social-safety-net-has-improved-a-lot provides a good overview of things.

As for models? There are none. Health care is a basic need of all citizens, and until the U.S. ensures its accessible to all, at equitable rates, we will have problems. A wealthy society is not the same as a society with a lot of wealthy people. We are not a wealthy society in the way that many countries are, such as those in Scandinavia. We have more people at the extremes, both wealth and poverty. They have a larger middle. And surely everyone here understands that that is the more appropriate societal goal. 
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