The USA, the richest country in the world by far, has been surpassed by Poland (about the same population as California alone)

www.dudkowiak.com/…/employee-benefits-in-poland

TLDR They have universal healthcare, family leave, vacation, and retirement that the vast majority of US workers can only dream of. No state of the union has this many benefits to my knowledge (but we do have 50, I apologize). Their minimum wage is almost as much, and they pay fewer taxes than many Americans (again, some states may be an exception).

An Eastern Block nation has managed to surpass the USA with far less money, in just a few decades.

Our politicians are not that stupid. They could pass legislation tomorrow with a simple majority vote (no need for super majority, let’s not be silly) and change our laws whenever they would like to. They choose not to, it’s a calculated choice.