Noah Smith — How will conservatives save the poor?

Good one.

Kevin Williamson, one of my favorite conservative writers, goes to rural Kentucky, observes white poverty, and is saddened by what he sees.

The key word here is "white". For most of the past few decades, conservatives basically told us that poverty was a black problem (and maybe a Hispanic problem), and that therefore white people basically didn't need to worry about it, and should certainly resist any liberal attempts to have the government do anything about it. During that whole time, liberals were shouting that poverty was a white problem too, but of course conservatives did not listen. Now, conservatives are finally discovering that yes, poverty is a white thing too.

Noahpinion

How will conservatives save the poor?

Noah Smith | Assistant Professor of Finance, Stony Brook University