"the wonderful progress of the United States, as well as the character of the people, are the results of natural selection" - Darwin, Descent of Man, ch.5. Is the "progress of the United States" a genetic change? It must be if it arose by natural selection, as Darwin says. What about the "character" of the american people? Is that genetic? What are the loci for these genes?
Second, the process of reproduction creates far more offspring than survive to reproduce.
This assertion is nonsensical. Are there far more Norwegians born than can survive to reproduce? Is your pet cat busy producing "far more offspring" than can survive? What about you?
I haven't, but my father was one of 12 children, eleven of whom lived and married. My mother was one of seven. Medicine and effective birth control are rather new. Most families before 1900 lost children. Nearly every couple that doesn't use birth control will lose a pregnancy; most of the time this will be called a "late period," but it will be a spontaneous abortion.
As for cats, if you have to ask, you don't know much about cats.