Actually to answer this question I have a thought to put forward first.
You probably remember the famous announcement from LeBron James and the Heat, the big shindig that announced his signing with Chris and Dwayne. They stood up there and pretty much assured the world there wasn't enough fingers on their hands for the amount of championship rings they were going to win. This pretty much lead to their appearance in the Championship last year and lo and behold my little Mavericks became the country's favorite outside of Miami. A small fanfare developed for the Mavericks mainly because people were cheering for the working man, the old guys, the underdog, and the little Mavericks won the series and then for the rest of the country things went back to normal.
What would the world think if the Heat instead of doing a big production had come out and said, look we know many people see our talent and think this is an automatic, but we are here to say we know we have to work hard, cannot take things for granted, we want to prove to our fans that their investment in us will be worthwhile. Well the world would probably be loving the Heat, people love a winner especially one that accepts there is a role to being a winner, someone that says hey I did this, but I did it for you and I appreciate what we did for ourselves through our efforts. Heck the Mavericks would have been hated for spoiling the Heat party last year, they were never winners so why should they blow up this new favorite team. PERCEPTION is always very interesting.
Andy yes I know many people have made similar observations, but I think it applies to the question at hand. People don't hate the rich right now, people are upset that the people who can really do something about this economy aren't helping. Everyone is pretty smart and they know the government can do only so much. They understand that Wall Street in its obsession to get rid of Obama still could be doing something to help the economy. There is anger towards their selfishness, lack of concern for what everyone else is going through. Overall people want wealth and good things, but when they see others take away their opportunity they feel it.
And now to bring up another point before I give the obvious answer to the question.
It seems our 1%er brothers don't get some other problems affecting our country. Savings which should be a necessity, a pay yourself first mindset that all financial planners say you should do, is becoming more of a luxury item. Yes people haven't been saving for years, but we should be putting this on the front burner for everyone. (another aside, the problem with our current welfare system is that it doesn't encourage people getting on their own feet, the concept of getting ahead has been pyschologically taken away from them. Yes some will never make the effort, but for a few generations now we have taught welfare recipients not to do things like save because we just give them part of their necessities, not something to work from.) Now though it is becoming harder and harder for even the middle class to even attempt to save. Historically for people that lived paycheck to paycheck,they never did, (we still need them to), but even for many in the middle class savings is becoming out of reach.
Another problem affecting the lower middle class and creeping into the middle class are these payday loans. This is making matters even worse. Use to be usury was a bad word, now it is like it doesn't even exist. Sure they couch their loans with they are not charging interest just fees, really folks, they are robbing people blind. And you would think the leaders of Wal Mart, JC Penny and any company that relies on consumer sales to do well would be totally against these companies. Think about how much money is being paid in "fees" hundreds of dollars to borrow hundreds of dollars. If my main business was to have consumers buy from me I think I would be lobbying heavily against these practices, which is why I think the rich don't get it. Even when their markets are being stolen they don't do anything about it.
So to put the above in my idea of a progressive conservative agenda, usury or fees should be highly legislated against. And I don't think people who work for these companies would be out of work, you would be just changing the "fees" back to sales for other companies and they would pick up the employment, simplistic yes, but basically workable.
The other agenda item is to encourage savings by creating legislation and policy so people have an incentive to save again or even for the first time. And there are possible ways to do this, think of workplace retirement savings, that can be tweaked for retirement and for normal savings. Banks should be clamoring for this, but again their shortsightedness is hurting our country. Banks should go back to being banks and lobby to help the middle class get back on their feet to help banks be profitable as banks. Real money back in the system for us and them.
Anyway people don't hate the rich anymore than they did (envy)pre 2008, just like people don't hate Lebron or Dewayne as individuals, but when you stand up and show to the world your arrogrance, well you are asking to be hated as that entity.
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