Is Liberal Hypocrisy Fueling American Inequality?

 

The following NYT video asks why Democrats who argue for increased equality consistently fail to make the kinds of changes in state and local laws and regulations that are necessary to rectify the very inequalities they oppose. It is pointed out that in blue states with solid democratic majorities, the very inequalities opposed in the Democratic Party Platform are rampant, and, worse, perpetuated by a NIMBY mentality.  For example, zoning laws would have to change to build affordable housing.  Laws determining funding for school districts would have to change to allow the less privileged to enjoy equal opportunities and life chances. State and local tax codes would have to be reformed (some blue states have very regressive tax codes https://itep.org/whopays/  ). The video shows that such bottom-line changes are resisted consistently when democrats discuss the laws and regulations governing their own backyards. Is it unfair to call these local politicians and board members "hypocrites?" Are there good reasons for their reluctance to act in these areas that the video journalist neglects to mention? What do you think?

(Also, for those interested in this topic, I recommend the slim paperback, Dream Hoarders by Richard Reeves (2017), which claims that we should think of the main divide in this country not as the 99% vs. the top 1%, but the top income quintile (top 20%) vs. the rest (the "80%"). The reasons have much to do with the facts in the above video, which show these upper middle class households protecting their privileges relative to the rest of society, thus effectively stifling upward mobility in less affluent groups.You can read more about Dream Hoarders here, if interested: https://www.brookings.edu/experts/richard-v-reeves/  Reeves also heads up the Brookings Inst. Future of the Middle Class Initiative, which  deals with the issue of inequality and obstacles to upward mobility: https://www.brookings.edu/project/future-of-the-middle-class-initiative/  )