This editorial really epitomizes the mentality of the conservative wealthy class in this country. It bares the callous disregard the wealthy have for those in a lower cast of our society. The prescription suggested is of course correct. Raise the minimum wage; "implement a wide range of supports for low income families," and, of course, "reform regressive state tax systems" - raise taxes on the rich. The statement that America's "poor" would be considered wealthy anywhere else in the world is both arrogant and untrue. Perhaps if we compare them with Somalia or some other third world country this might be accurate but when compared to other industrialized countries this is just inaccurate. The analogy of improvising the Ford family with increased taxes is almost childish in its suggestion. Just who does the author think the readers of his editorial page are anyway? We all understand that those with wealth invest to create more wealth and this is the American way but this does not mean that wealth should be attained at any cost to the remainder of the population. Exploitation of the poor is not an acceptable prescription for gaining wealth in this country or anywhere else in this world. The sooner the wealthy realize that because of their good fortune, which in many cases comes not from hard labor but from being born into a desirable situation, and that they do have an obligation to the rest of society the better off the world will be. If those with the means to make a difference do not attempt to do so then who will? But of the entire editorial the most condescending and self-inflating remark is that somehow the poor all indulge in dead-end behavior and the hard-workers all are rewarded with wealth. Perhaps the author should have been born into a family with a below poverty level income and sustained all of the benefits that are provided in this environment before passing judgement.