> The issue appears to be that 50% of Americans live paycheck-to-paycheck and have no savings? I can't imagine how this could be anything other than them just spending money on shit they don't need.

Or that there's no standard minimum wage, or income protection if something does go wrong. Student debt is crippling to people in itself never mind hospital events.

That's so many people you should think "something must be wrong with the system"

> Illnesses and accidents are exactly the things you need savings for

It shouldn't be though, if you pay taxes, the government should be there for you in an emergency when it comes to health.

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koakuma-chan 4 days ago | parent [-]

> It shouldn't be though, if you pay taxes, the government should be there for you in an emergency when it comes to health.

As far as I know in the US your employer provides health insurance?

	▲	array_key_first 4 days ago \| parent \| next [-]
		Some jobs provide healthcare, many don't. Many people here, if they are not educated, are forced to work manual labor jobs. Those jobs will always work you under full-time, so they don't have to give you insurance. Usually that means you have to work another job. People who haven't lived that life just don't get. It just doesn't click in your head. You can work 60 hours a week and just barely make rent and food. Not only can you do it, I think most people are. And there's nothing you can do. There is no higher paying job waiting for you somewhere, because you don't have a college degree. How're you gonna get a college degree when you work 60 hours a week? Hm? You're not. You're stuck. Your best shot, really, is to work up through management. That's why you'll see people working at the same restaurant for 20 years. They must be so stupid, why don't they get a real job? No, actually, that's probably their best bet.
	▲	whoooboyy 4 days ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Oh. No. Not in most jobs. Many jobs do provide some health care. If you are working many jobs in the US you get no health care. You have to pay for it yourself. Even jobs that provide it you still need to pay for it. The employer basically pays a portion of the insurance bill. Good employers pay a lot, bad employers pay none. Then you have deductibles. The amount you have to pay out of pocket every year before insurance does anything. If you have a ten thousand dollar deductible, insurance only kicks in at $10,001 and beyond.