beardedbruce - I too, do not believe that this is a racial problem but a social problem. It just so happens that those on the bottom rung are mostly Black.

Your post implied that renters were not residents.

I replied that land owners and renters are both residents but that land owners have more power. Yes, everyone has a vote but a vote is not the only power an individual. Land owners (being wealthier) also have more free time to lobby and become political at many different levels.

Your assumption that rich and poor have the same amount of political power is wrong.