&gt;I don&#x27;t know if we could, even theoretically, let everyone in the US live a decent life.<p>In theory, yes. There are enough resources that people would live free of want and hunger. But, we can&#x27;t because there is some portion of the populace that consistently exhibits zero self control. If given the self-control&#x2F;candy test, they&#x27;d eat the candy and then fifteen minutes later tell you what a horrible person you are for not giving them the other piece. You could go out and top off everyone so that they have $50,000 liquid cash, find housing, explain how rent works, etc. and within three months there will be people being evicted and homeless with no money to their name. So you repeat. And three months later you have to repeat again. And again. And again. And after loading and reloading people with money, now you&#x27;re poor and have nothing to give.<p>It&#x27;s basic reality that there are people we are told we need to have compassion and empathy for, yet they have none for us. This is exhibited by the fact that if they did they would make a realistic effort to not be a burden on others. And for many of these people there is no amount of money and resources they can be given that will cause them to say &quot;enough, stop, i don&#x27;t need any more.&quot;