The Culture of Assumption.

 Poverty is equated, most commonly, with laziness in America. As if the poor person deserves to be poor, because they do not work hard enough to have more money. Never mind the poor person is more than likely not being paid much, and probably spends the most of their money on food and utilities. The poor person, even if they are breaking their back day in and day out doing the work that the middle and upper classes would rather not think about, they are thought to be lazy. The stereotype is that they spend all their money on booze and/or drugs, and probably doesn't do anything but get Government hand-outs. There may be some truth to this stereotype, but it is not a universal truth. There is no reason for the almost universal disdain for those who are not comfortable, but it pervades the media, and is a part of the rhetoric of the Republican party and the Conservatives.

It is possible this disdain comes from the tradition of Rugged Individualism. If a person works hard enough, they can become successful, and overcome their poor background. It is something that happens to just enough people that the hope is still there. However one can not argue with what the stereotype has led to.

The pervasive disdain for the poor has led to a culture of assumption. It is assumed that the poor are lazy. It is assumed that the poor are all alcoholics and/or drug addicts. It is assumed that the poor choose to be poor and do nothing to help themselves. These assumptions may be true for some people, but they are applied to all. This is because of the popular adoption of the morals of a selfish atheist sociopath by the name of Ayn Rand. Rand's writings are all about the glorification of the individual at the exclusion of all else, including the mores of society. Rand believed that a person should not contribute to society or to charity, or even help those less fortunate. She believed that if one could not help oneself, then one did not deserve help. It is this adoption of the principles of individual greed over the good Christian morals of loving and aiding one's neighbors that has led to these stereotypes about the poor. Because it is far easier to assume the worst, than hope for the best.