I remember reading someone on the right of British politics saying something like "Everyone keeps saying conservatives don't like poor people. It's true: we wan

I remember reading someone on the right of British politics saying something like "Everyone keeps saying conservatives don't like poor people. It's true: we want to turn them into rich people." Notwithstanding whether or not their policies actually achieve that, if that's the way the US working class see it I think that might answer your first point. They may see it as the elite throwing them bones as long as they stay in their place.