Change in popular opinion of the poor

Krugman as usual nails it. General opinion of the poor used to be dominated by the acceptance of the regressive meme that they made their own bed through lack of initiative, preference for criminal activity and dependence on the government tit. But as income has stagnated for the middle class, and with the financial collapse and subsequent rising unemployment, they are increasing finding themselves in need of some form of government assistance. Take fast food or Walmart workers, who work full time yet don't earn enough to feed their families. Yet they see their employers' profits skyrocketing to new record highs. We just don't buy the regressive spin anymore because it just doesn't match reality. Not that it ever did, since Johnson's war on poverty in the 60s actually worked. But due to our degenerating financial circumstances many more of us have been bitch slapped so much in the face we can no longer deny or ignore the facts.


Hence the progressives, once fearful of defending the poor due to many accepting the regressive spin, are now boldly supporting policies to help them. They know that the majority now are suffering and have changed their tune, as polls increasingly show. So good, let the regressives keep on eliminating unemployment, reducing food stamps, cutting needed tax breaks etc., believing that their narrative about the lazy poor is working. It's not, progressives know it and and getting more confident about increasing benefits in these tough times. And it will pay off at the voting both later this year as they take back the House and increase their majority in the Senate. The people have awakened and we won't be fooled again.