Robert Samuelson writes in a recent Washington Post column about the ambivalence among the public about ending poverty and how the current talk about inequality is mainly focused on the so called middle class.
Yes, politicians have given up on the poor, and only care about the so called middle class because they vote.
But all this talk about inequality misses one key point — inequality is built into our economic system, and direct intervention in the form of redistribution of wealth will make a real lasting difference.
Why not simply distribute wealth collected from taxes equally? Why not give everybody a debit card with a certain amount of money on it each month which can only be used for basic necessities and useful goods such as food, clothing, books, household items, utilities, etc. If every family got this then some of the complaints about handouts would be muted. It would certainly help everybody have a minimum quality of life and at the same time have some control over their lives.
– Jan Tobochnik