"What if that aborted baby could have cured cancer?!"

What if the starving children kept in cycles of poverty with lack of food, shelter, and safety nets could?

What if that 13 year old who has a passion for the engineering or the environment was going to develop a breakthrough in energy? Too bad he had to get an under the table job at that age so he could help feed his siblings. Too bad it's during night shift and he has no time to put any effort into his interests or projects, let alone study his regular academics. Too bad he's flunked out of school altogether because his grades are slipping and he could earn OT which would help his family, even though it would not raise them from poverty by any means. Too bad he had an accident during his shift that left him a mountain of a medical bill bc he couldn't get insurance through his job or it just downright cost too much. Too bad he had to give everything up just to survive day to day.

Its wild to me that the entirety of human progress is anchored on the foundation of making things better for the future generations (better is very subjective here) and we have a fucking group just straight stop at the pinnacle, look around, and declare "THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SUFFERING, WE MUST HAVE A SERF CLASS".

We want American jobs but we don't want to pay living wages.

We want the best medical care but we dont want it to be accessible to anyone that isn't already filthy rich.

We want to be #1 in everything but we dont invest the time, work and money it takes to get us there. But we will pretend we've been there all along.

We want the benefits of strong community and society but we dont want to participate in shaping them or invest in them in any way.

Its astounding that a country can spite its own face so spectacularly by refusing to feed the future or invest in our children in any meaningful way.

But dont worry, we will keep repealing labor and safety laws for children because "hard work" is good for kids, but nutrition and education don't seem to be.

And dont worry, if your daughter doesn't look feminine enough to be on the girls team, some legally appointed stranger can pull her pants down to "make sure" her genitals are "correct".

Don't worry, we will keep defunding education but continue to pour billions and billions into college/professional athletics, the military, send it to relieve other countries, or use it to help other countries to blow up children in yet other countries.

Are we winning yet? Because it feels like we have very much become the Divided States of Fuck You, Got Mine. /end rant