Show me ANY progress attained in the last 15 years as a result of lawsuits and financial compensation.

As I already stated, and as you conveniently cropped out of your quote, systematic change will do more to fix the problems and raising awareness and getting public attention to these issues helps drive that.

No wonder the USA is circling the drain

Look in the mirror, friend. Attitudes like yours, focused more on short term punishment rather than long term systematic and systemic change, keep us right where we are.