re: This time for sure
For starters, I have looked at the history of a lot of nations besides the U.S. The patterns are pretty obvious when you measure prosperity against economic freedom.
The point on the "wealthy elite" escaped you entirely, and I'm not inspired to try and explain it.
Again, since we've apparently opted for pragmatism and "trains running on time" on this board, and shoved principles (or as you put it, "dogma") off the table, I don't really know where to go from here. There's a thin line between "greatest good for the greatest number" and "screw the minority."