Not 100%, but they definitely didn't help marginalized groups. Poverty is a monster that devours and destroys whatever it touches and it can be caused by poor personal decisions. However, the moves from the post WWII housing lenders and government of the time manufactured much of the poverty that affects the cities in America. Baltimore just looks harder hit because of the city's racial makeup. The practices I mentioned (redlining, blockbusting, etc) were designed to primarily target blacks. In a majority black city, the effect is seen in greater detail and in a wider span.

No. I now work in an industrial manufacturing company, in the county, with mostly white working class men. Most of them live dysfunctional lives and have the same bad habits as the media often place on poor blacks. Mostly its having children they can't afford and having bad relationships with the family. Yet, they have had an easier time of getting bill paying jobs, and have gained a foot hold home owning and many middle class life styles. Yet they are angry, bitter and very short tempered people. The older ones have much to show for their hard work, but the young ones step into bad habits, the same as their parents.