The big issue..inequality

The people, from both sides, seem to know which direction to go, but can politicians, of either side, lead them there?

America has the opportunity to usher in radical new political era | Michael Cohen | Comment is free | The Observer

" talk of inequality is resonating with voters. When asked recently what was a bigger problem – "unfairness in the economic system that favours the wealthy or over-regulation of the free market that interferes with growth and prosperity" – 55% of Americans chose the former and only 35% the latter. Two-thirds of Americans believe there are either "very strong" or "strong" conflicts between rich and poor in America – a nearly 20% increase from 2009.
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From a policy standpoint, polls consistently suggest that Americans believe taxes should be raised on the wealthiest Americans. It's even a view held among rank-and-file Republicans, in stark contrast to the tax cut absolutism of party leaders.
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The problem is that few national politicians have sought to test the proposition that such attitudes matter much politically. Republicans are deeply fearful of any national discussion about income inequality or the wealthy's shrinking tax burden. .
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But Democrats have also been resistant to offering such populist appeals for fear of being defined as divisive or engaging in class warfare.
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Rather, Democrats were happy to parrot the Republican party's talk about deficit spending and defer discussions of income inequality. The gutlessness of Democrats reached its pinnacle in the autumn of 2010 when a mere two months before midterm elections congressional Democrats refused to bring to a vote a measure that would have brought to an end tax cuts for those making more than $250,000 a year."