Well, DoDo seemed to be objecting to an incremental approach which focuses primarily on the broad middle class with the very poor mainly being helped incidentally. What I was saying that the chances of achieving and implementing radical measures that discount the interests of the middle is almost certainly impossible through democratic means, but that on the other hand the incremental approach does eventually lead to programs specifically targeting the poor. Or to put it in shorter terms - the incremental approach is more positive than he gives it credit for, while the radical approaches are either futile or very ugly.

Of course I don't actually want the kind of end stage that DoDo does, so that may be unconsciously biasing my analysis. On the other hand I don't think I'm all that alone in my views among left wing voters, and given the difficulties even the moderate left has in winning majorities, it seems to me that insisting on 'radical left wing policies, now!', and thus rejecting the votes of us moderates will not be a successful electoral strategy.