MOST AMERICANS STRONGLY FAVOR EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY IF NOT OUTCOME, BUT MANY ARE WEARY OF POVERTYS SEEMING IMMUNITY TO PUBLIC POLICY. THIS HELPS TO EXPLAIN THE RECENT ATTENTION PAID TO CULTURAL AND GENETIC EXPLANATIONS OF PERSISTENT POVERTY, INCLUDING CLAIMS THAT ECONOMIC INEQUALITY IS A FUNTION OF INTELLECTUAL ABILITY, AS WELL AS MORE SUBTLE DEPICTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES AS A MERITOCRACY WHERE BARRIERS TO ACHIEVEVEMENT ARE PERSONAL EITHER VOLUNTAY OR INHERITED RATHER THAN SYSTEMI