"Policymakers, members of the public, and journalists once focused on aspects of poverty that are beyond the control of those who find themselves with dire economic prospects or which focus on the collective costs to all Americans from having large numbers of poor. This resulted in a large decrease in the amount of poverty in this country. From this initial focus, associated with optimistic efforts to alleviate poverty and which justified massive interventions and spending, the public has given up, tired, frustrated, and discouraged. Collectively, attention now focuses on what we have called the “stingy” frames: The poor are individually responsible for their problems, and government efforts to help them may do more harm than good."