Can the lower 1/3 be expected engage on the political front when they are a bit preoccupied with finding the income to pay rent and put food on the table? Perhaps pursuing austerity policies on government programs that increase income to the lower 1/3 helps check the revolution. Case in point, the Republicans -supposedly mortally opposed to taxes - did nothing to prevent the payroll tax increase at the end of 2012 from taking effect. An overwhelmingly regressive tax.