Canadians are richer than Americans: because of a rational sociopolitical setup

I read in Foreign Policy that the average Canadian is for the first time richer than the average American. The article states that Canada slashed its deficit in the 90s, but so did the US under Clinton - even generating a surplus - before Bush's tax cuts for the rich and wars spending and Obama's poorly designed stimulus package. 

So is this increased prosperity because Canadians have a rational health care system that provides coverage for all thus reducing costs? Or because they resisted the ideology of mindless deregulation for its own sake thus largely inoculating themselves from the effects of the 2008 financial crash? Or maybe because their government isn't nearly as comprehensively owned by corporations and is much more diverse thus resulting in wiser public policy? Or maybe a combination of these?

News and observations

News item: Study: Insurance companies hold billions in fast food stock (CNN)

Observation: This is a bit like mining companies taking out life insurance on their employees

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News item: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's hard right turn (Maclean's)

Observation: It's too bad that America's noxious mix of religion and politics (which inevitably corrupts both) has drifted northward.

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Comment [verbatim]: "Since we seem to be the worlds policeman. The US should be paid for it. If we are going to be in the Pursian Gulf , Pursia needs to pay the US (I think they can afford it." (seen on an NCPR blog entry)

Observation: "There's nothing scarier than ignorance in action." -Tom Smothers

Further observation: "The argument against democracy is to spend 5 minutes with the average voter." -My old high school friend Dan

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Article: The Return of Christian Terrorism:Threats of right-wing violence have doubled in the past year. What is behind the latest upsurge in the movement to create a Christian theocratic state? (Alternet)

Observation: Probably the arrival of a president who, though religious, doesn't shove his religion down people's throats at every waking instant. This is seen by Christian theocrats as "secularism."

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Article: How the FCC Can Protect the Internet from Pro-Corporate Judges and Greedy Telecoms (Alternet)

Observation: If you don't want your internet provider to routinely block your favorite website (whether TheDailyShow.com, GlennBeck.com or anything in between), you should support net neutrality.