Reply #6

http://www.loop21.com/politics/7-things-poor-voters-want-rich-candidates-know?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theloop21+%28TheLoop21.com+Comprehensive+Feed%29

1) If you were born wealthy, you have not earned everything you have through “hard work.”

2) If you have married into wealth, you have not earned everything you have through “hard work.”*

3) America is not an “equal playing field.”

4) Besides being born rich, or marrying rich, the only other way to really have a shot at significantly improving your class status in America is to be genetically or intellectually extraordinary…and most of us aren’t.

5) If you are wealthy and have called in a favor, or made a “donation” to get your already wealthy son or daughter a job they don’t need and didn’t earn, or a college admissions slot they didn’t earn, congratulations, you have increased the number of poor Americans.

6) Most poor people are lazy. WRONG.

7) But you are very RIGHT about one thing. Those of us who aren’t wealthy are envious. VERY envious. We should be. Most wealthy people who are miles ahead of the rest of us started miles ahead the day they were born. Why shouldn’t the rest of us be envious? That doesn’t mean we dislike the wealthy. In fact, some of my best friends are wealthy—and I say that without a trace of sarcasm. But, they are willing to acknowledge that they began their journey miles ahead of most and therefore while some of them may balk at their tax rate, they are extremely generous to those who have less than they do, because they realize, as the saying goes, “But for the grace of God go I.”

It would be nice if more of the privileged demonstrated this level of self-awareness—and not just when a poor person supporting them for president reminds them on the campaign trail that poor people who are doing the right thing, but still struggling to pay their light bills, exist.

Keli Goff is Loop 21's Senior Contributor. Learn more about her at KeliGoff.com