I've long believed that the leftist/statist agenda was to use the "inner city" residents for a multi-pronged purpose. First, they use them as a constituency. Keep them down, and then pitch yourself as "the answer" - in the form of "entitlements". At the same time, use them as bogeymen, to scare "Middle America" into accepting increasingly draconian laws, in the name of "security" and "crime control."
Then, after they've served their purpose, i.e., when the leftist/statist "machine" has achieved sufficent traction to get its way without needing the "useless eaters" to stay in office or to scare the Joe Sixers, let 'em die.
How to "let 'em die"?
Chaos.
Three days without power or food deliveries, and there won't be too many survivors in "the inner cities". No need to "cleanse" them either. They'll "self-cleanse". A "society" comprised of people who have no life skills other than to fill out forms (for the dole) and hustle (dope, women, stolen goods, etc.) will not fare well when the rules have changed. And if you turn off the lights, and block the bridges and roads, the rules will change dramatically. It won't take more than a few days to let them finish themselves off.
Anyway, that's what I've always figured the "caring" leftist/statist crowd has in mind for their "constituency" once they no longer need them. Of course, "the rest of us" (for the most part) will be in utter confusion and stark raving terror watching this happen. Voila! Instant "readily governable populace". A statist's dream come true. Tidy up the loose ends with a "New Constitution" for a "post-crisis America", and it's an Orwellian dream come true.
But...
I really think the islamist lunatics have thrown this agenda for a loop. I suspect that they're (the leftist/statist crowd) scrambling now, trying to figure out how to integrate the terror into the agenda, and speed it (the agenda) up, too. Sort of a sick, twisted "if you've got lemons, make lemonade" kinda thing.
I do wax cynical at times...