There are stigmas attached to poverty. Assumptions about lack of moral fiber, impaired mental health, lack of education and/or intelligence are commonplace mindsets with those who haven't experienced poverty themselves. Some percentage of public education should teach about ethics and morality--about compassion and empathy. These should be taught as standpoints from which to judge whether or not elected public officials and/or candidates are actually qualified to 'serve' the public. People who have come from or fallen into poverty could have gotten there any number of ways through no direct fault of their own. So our elected officials should be expected to work toward ways to alleviate poverty, and ways to 'rehabilitate' the circumstances and the livelihoods of people in poverty.