Isn’t that the tough bit about American Exceptionalism? Americans can’t ALL be exceptional (by definition) and the messaging about how a rising tide lifts all boats simply doesn’t translate to most people.
Tbf, Americans tend to be more than happy to work together (in short bursts) during moments of national crisis, but when everything is moving along normally policy debates become unnecessarily contentious.
What is your suggestion for a superior solution to the problems passwords solve?