perspective problem

There are people in America who describe the poor and unfortunate in this country as having somehow brought their need on themselves. That the collection and use of "entitlements" is somehow caused by their failure to be good citizens or by poor personal choices, and so that they do not "deserve" to get any of the money that was earned by those who are more "successful".
But perhaps this situation needs to be looked at from a different angle. Perhaps the failure is not of the less successful of us, but of those who claim success. After all, these are the people with the access to power, the people who have the advantage (whether born or achieved) of connections and money, the movers and shakers of the nation. Perhaps they are the ones who have failed. Before accepting the idea that those who have little or nothing are not doing enough for the country (in order to "earn their keep"), perhaps we should be examining the question "what are those who have so much doing for the country (that has benefited them so handsomely)?"

Or put it another way: Many of the most successful people in this country not only dont seem to be grateful for the hard work and sacrifice of ordinary (and less "successful") people, they appear to feel that the rest of the nation should feel gratitude that their wealth provides jobs for the nation, despite the fact that those who hold those jobs, and the nation they all helped to create, are the actual source of the wealth and success.