You make some great points. I would also add that when it comes to politicians and celebrities, their interest in certain causes is completely selfish. They are doing it to garner admiration and publicity to help themselves in their careers.
There is also the fact that welfare has become a cottage industry in the US and the wealthy people that own or invest in companies that provide goods and services to the "poor" (aka people that don't work) are making massive profits by siphoning the money out of working people's pockets into their own under the guise of "Helping people".
A good deal of that money also flows into the pockets of these politicians via campaign donations (aka legalized kick backs).
The wealthy and famous people in the US run in the same circles, attend the same parties, and their kids attend the same schools. They know each others. It's like a private club where they get together and make believe they are the saviors of the world and great people. The rest of us, including the people they claim they love and need to take money from us to "help", are not fit to mingle with them in their minds.
I cannot disagree with you regarding politics. I reckon that what a politician says is the exact opposite of what they're doing. Very few times have I been wrong about that.
Ahem, this is bullshit. I'm poor, not because I don't work. All kinds of reasons, which I'm not gonna air here, but the most relevant reason is that I don't need much, so pass on what I don't need. My kids already inherited such wealth as I had once, and I ain't gonna take any with me when I shuffle off this mortal coil. What the hell do I need more than what it takes to keep me fed, clean, and online for?
I work plenty. It's not lack of work that makes me poor, and I know plenty of other folks that work full-time jobs and are below the poverty line.
Perhaps you've never tried to raise a family on minimum wage. It isn't easy, and not everyone has the capacity to pull phat banc. Also, some folks get screwed outta money.
FYI, I have been an accredited investor, so I can pull phat banc. I just no longer care to.