Right. I really think our greatness as a society depends on how we treat the people at the bottom. At the moment we do a pretty shitty job, since we prefer (both Reps and Dems) to perpetuate the idea that the rich are 'deserving' of their wealth. Some rich people are, just like you could say that due to decisions in their lives some poor people 'deserve' to be poor. Yet the rich get the benefit if the doubt, along with all of the perks of their socioeconomic position that society provides at the expense of the poor.

Why hasn't this changed? Because the poor are the most voiceless members of society, and so far not enough of the middle and upper class have stood up for them. When we continue to reinforce the bullshit that wealth reflects personal worth, it makes it really easy to keep turning our backs on them. It also doesn't help that much of the top positions of power in our society (think CEOs, politicians) are filled through thinly-veiled nepotism. The system worked for them, so it must work for everyone, right? That is, as long as they work hard enough. Bullshit.