Blaming the Poor?

YouGov
September 22, 2010, 1:15 AM GMT+0

Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that the poverty rate had hit a 15-year high, with 14.3% of adults now classified as living in poverty. In the latest Economist/YouGov Poll, Americans see a changing future when it comes to economic times. By more than two to one, they believe the next generation will have a lower standard of living than Americans do today.

Americans are divided on whether their parents had more or fewer opportunities to succeed than they themselves do. 33% say their parents had more opportunity; 40% say they had fewer. But it’s clear that Americans see the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. 67% say the gap between rich and poor is increasing; only 7% think it’s decreasing.

As for who will help the poor – the President (and his Democratic Party) get better grades than the Republican Party does. Majorities think the Obama Administration and the Democratic Party are likely to be concerned about issues that affect the poor; just a third think that about Republicans. The President and his party hold a smaller advantage when Americans evaluate who cares for middle class issues. And the middle class is where most Americans place themselves. Just over half the public credits the current Administration and the Democratic Party as being concerned about issues that affect the middle class; less than half say the Republicans are.

How concerned are the following groups about issues that affect POOR people?

ConcernedNot ConcernedNot Sure

The Obama Administration

57%

34%

9%

The Republican Party

34%

56%

10%

The Democratic Party

55%

35%

10%

How concerned are the following groups about issues that affect MIDDLE CLASS people?

ConcernedNot ConcernedNot Sure

The Obama Administration

54%

39%

8%

The Republican Party

46%

45%

9%

The Democratic Party

53%

38%

9%

Nearly seven in ten Americans believe individual poverty is something mostly due to circumstances – and that poor people are NOT poor because they don’t work hard enough. But Republicans – and especially Tea Party identifiers hold drastically different views. 52% of Republicans and 65% of Tea Party identifiers say most poor people are poor because they just don’t work hard enough.

Which statement comes closer to your opinion?

All RespondentsRepublicansTea Party Identifiers

Most poor people are poor because they don't work hard enough.

31%

52%

65%

Most poor people are poor because of circumstances beyond their control.

69%

48%

35%

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