Is this specific to the united States? I might point out that if we were able to save or extend every life on the planet, the resources would get choked out and we would have wars.
Chance as a real force is a myth. It has no basis in reality and no place in scientific inquiry. For science and philosophy to continue to advance in knowledge, chance must be demythologized once and for all. —RC Sproul
"A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." —Mark Twain