Individualism in America is the main cause... if you just got taxed and didn't have to worry about healthcare, people wouldn't care, but they all think that it could never happen to them.
Americans think the poor are slackers and they don't deserve anything. Even poor Americans think the "other" poor are slackers and don't deserve anything. Nothing will change until you change this mindset.
This is a pretty bold statement. How many Americans do you know?