This argument chain was on whether or not the proles are empowered under Chinese capitalism (they aren't) not whether or not their standard of living is above $2/day.
Comparing to America is whataboutism but the numbers I am finding are under 0.25% US citizens below that extreme poverty level in 2020 compared to 0.7% Chinese citizens in 2015.
Sus when you look at real numbers instead of just patting yourself on the back with citations that agree with you.
That's literally what a town hall style meeting is. Every Western democracy does that. It's the bare fucking minimum. It's very strange that you're treating that as radical or an innovation.