Yes some can succeed quite well, but that is not the norm by any means. Which is why I said citing two people alone is pointless. The norm and reality are the opposite, there's a low chance of income mobility for over 50% of people. It makes sense too, the way most people enter the top 5% is by investing and making money off of money. Those that don't make much money, don't have money to invest. Our income system makes the wealthy wealthier and the poor poorer, not only in the basic interest based structure, but in our policies (especially tax) too.

Don't misunderstand me, anyone living in the USA is better off than most people in the world. But look at what has been done to the world, especially poorer less developed countries. We thrive off of their poverty and taking of their resources. How much of what we use is made by people being paid slave wages across asia? Electronics, clothing, furniture, etc. So sure, we do okay...but we rape the world to do okay. The number of countries we have actively fucked over is astounding.

Our welfare system is not good, but it is certainly better than nothing. It actually does help people stay out of poverty and move up, however, finding something to move up to is very difficult for many. Our economy is mostly a service economy, which does not pay very well. Do you honestly expect those at or near the poverty line to have the time or money to get a higher education? For so many, especially those with children, it's nearly impossible. Not to mention so many graduates are underemployed today and have massive amounts of debt which the federal gov profits off of too!

We do need taxes to run the government, but the constitution does not allow for unapportioned taxes and only allowed direct taxes. No % based tax bullshit that we deal with today. We know how much it costs to run the government, we should be paying a flat amount, not a % based amount. It was not until the Federal Reserve and IRS were created that we passed the 16th amendment along with them. The entire system is designed to make us poorer from the beginning, taxing the poor and middle class much more than the rich, the government paying interest to the federal reserve for every dollar that's created. The dollar today is worth 96% less than it was 100 years ago. Our economy is racing straight towards the edge of a cliff, and nothing short of ending the federal reserve will save it.

I by far don't expect the government to take care of us. However, if the government CREATES poverty, then it should take care of those in poverty. We create, mandate, require, fundamentally must have, poverty because of the Federal Reserve System and always having less money available to people than what is owed.

lol Jesus. Okay, Jesus would ask why someone's right to food and shelter necessitates their working for it? Why is it okay to exploit people and the earth for financial gain, the way many corporations do today and the majority of people support? He would tell you to give the needy what they need if you can do without it.