This effect is/was deliberate. Have to keep folks poor to keep them looking for handouts.
yup...
“a key legacy of 2020 may be a well-intentioned liberal betrayal of their interests, a hollowing-out of the institutions that protect and serve them, and the deepening of America’s racial inequalities even if Trumpism goes down to defeat.”
“well intention” = intentionally keeping them poor to keep them voting for demoKrats