Are we making more of the Rich vs. Poor Issue than We Should?

I want to take a look at the increasing “War on Poverty.”  Is this war succeeding?  I also want to question: Do we, in fact, need rich Americans to sustain ourselves in a global market? I am interested in the sociological issue faced by the poor in America, but I also work and interact with some well-to-do Richmonders.  This contrast between rich and poor interests me. Why are the poor still poor?  Is it a fair proposal that the rich share their wealth with the poor?  As the middle class expands, the distance between the poor and wealthy will widen, and we have to make changes within the system to assist the poor in their economic development, but at the same time, we cannot destroy the wealth of the rich.

 As an example, I went to Church Hill which is predominately Afro-American and mostly poor. There are no Martins or Food Lions so these residents are forced to go to the local convenience store or Family Dollar at best. I checked the price of bread, for example. The bread in Martins where I live in the Fan (where I live) is $1.36, but in Church Hill the price is $2.59, a huge mark up. So in my mind, the poor face a double problem: one trying to get out of poverty, while paying more than the middle class pays. This would cause the poor to continue to be poor and struggle. It is very hard to improve one’s standing and grow capital unless you can hold enough seed money to start the process.

Now mind you, this is just an example of what may cause the poor to stay poor but does not mean the rich should give their wealth to the poor. We have to look at improvements for the poor, such as accessible goods and services that are so much lacking and so much needed in the blighted urban counties.