I see this dialogue mostly playing out in the UK elections now, but it's the standard subtext in US politics, too (in normal times, anyway). Basically, if policies only help the poors they are blasted for helping the "undeserving" (black people) poors. If policies help the "middle class," they are "too expensive" because they reach too many people. If policies help the rich, why, JAAYUUUUB CREEEAATURRRZZZZ, even though in a good economy (by the conventional measures) the only threat to job creation is the Fed raising interest rates, which it promises to do.
