Topics At A Glance: Poverty

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(Now, I'd like to ask some questions about getting ahead in terms of your standard of living and your financial wellbeing.)...And, in general, which of the following do you think plays a bigger role in determining whether or not you have more opportunity to get ahead?...Your own skills and hard work, your educational background, the state of the economy, your income level, current government policies, your racial or ethnic background

%
41		Your own skills and hard work
23		Your educational background
18		The state of the economy
6		Your income level
5		Current government policies
4		Your racial or ethnic background
5		Don't know/Refused

Note: Asked of partial sample (80%)
Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor Poll, [Sep, 2012]

Which statement comes closer to your own views--even if neither is exactly right?...Most people who want to get ahead can make it if they're willing to work hard. Hard work and determination are no guarantee of success for most people.

Pew Social Trends Poll, [Jul, 2012]

Please mark which of the following pairs of statements is closest to what you think, even if neither is exactly right....Most people who want to get ahead can make it if they're willing to work hard. Hard work and determination are no guarantee of success for most people.

Work Trends Survey, [Mar, 2012]

Welfare Spending

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Now I'm going to read you some pairs of statements that might be made by Democratic and Republican candidates this fall (2012). After I read each pair, please tell me which statement comes closer to your own view, even if neither is exactly right....The Democratic candidate says: We're fighting to make sure our economy works for the middle class. Mitt Romney said, he doesn't care about the 47 percent and that includes a lot of veterans, the elderly, and low-wage working people. He'd raise taxes on the middle class and give millionaires a yet bigger tax cut. But we tried that top-down approach. More tax cuts for the rich and outsourcing American jobs doesn't work. Instead, let's protect Medicare, invest in education and reward companies that create jobs here. The Republican candidate says: Barack Obama's economic policies have failed, and it's time to try something different. Unemployment remains at record levels, job creation is poor, federal spending is out of control, and much of the country is still in recession. Middle class incomes are down, and his health care law raised taxes on middle class families. His stimulus package failed to create the jobs he said it would, wasted billions of dollars on pork barrel projects at home, and spent American taxpayer dollars creating jobs overseas in countries like China....(If Democratic/Republican, ask:) (Is that strongly or not so strongly?)

%
44		Democratic statement strongly
9		Democratic statement not strongly
10		Republican statement not strongly
32		Republican statement strongly
1		Both (Vol.)
2		Neither (Vol.)
2		Don't know/Refused

Sample: National likely voters
Note: Asked of Form A half sample
Democracy Corps/Resurgent Republi/NPR Poll, [Sep, 2012]

I would like to read you a pair of statements about economic policy and have you tell me which one you agree with more....Congressman A says that President (Barack) Obama's economic plan is working and we need to stay the course. Unemployment is going down, more jobs are being created, we've taken steps to reduce the deficit, and economic conditions are improving for most of the country. Congressman B says that President Obama's economic plan is not working and we need to try something else. Unemployment remains at record levels, job creation is poor, federal spending is out of control, and much of the country is still in recession....(If Statement A/B, ask:) Do you strongly agree with that statement or somewhat agree with that statement?

Sample: National likely voters including an oversample of battleground state voters
Resurgent Republic Survey, [Aug, 2012]

Who do you agree with more?...Democrats who say that we need to keep making progress on the economy, and pass policies that will help US (United States) manufacturers, stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas, and change the tax code so that millionaires will pay their fair share of taxes. We cannot afford to go back to the failed policies of the past that created the economic problems in the first place. Republicans who say that President (Barack) Obama's economic plan is not working and we need to try something else. Unemployment remains at record levels, job creation is poor, federal spending is out of control, and much of the country is still in recession.

Sample: National registered voters
New Models National Brand Poll, [May, 2012]

Government Responsibility for Individuals

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(Now I am going to read you a series of statements that will help us understand how you feel about a number of things. For each statement, please tell me if you completely agree with it, mostly agree with it, mostly disagree with it or completely disagree with it.)...It is the responsibility of the government to take care of people who can't take care of themselves.

Pew Research Center for the People & the Press Poll, [Sep, 2011]

In general, some people think that it is the responsibility of the government in Washington to see to it that people have help in paying for doctors and hospital bills. Others think that these matters are not the responsibility of the federal government and that people should take care of these things themselves. Where would you place yourself on this scale, or haven't you made up your mind on this? (Respondents shown card with 1 to 5 scale on which point 1 indicates 'I strongly agree it is the responsibility of the government to help' and point 5 indicates 'I strongly agree people should take care of themselves.' Point 3 indicates 'I strongly agree with both answers.')

Note: Asked of 2/3 sample
General Social Survey 2010, [Mar, 2010]

Note: Asked of 2/3 sample
General Social Survey 2008, [Apr, 2008]

Welfare Reform -- Limits

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Given the continuing economic downturn, some people say the government should make some changes in the welfare reform rules to help support low-income families. Please tell me if you support or oppose the following changes.... As you may know, welfare reform set a 5-year lifetime limit on how long someone can receive welfare payments. Some people have suggested temporarily suspending the limit for those who cannot find work until the economy starts to improve and more jobs become available. How do you feel about this idea? Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose this idea?

Welfare Reform And Children In The Current Economy Survey, [Jan, 2002]

Just to refresh your memory. The new welfare law, which Congress passed in 1996, ends the federal guarantee of public assistance for the poor. It also requires able-bodied recipients to work within two years. It sets a lifetime limit on federal benefits of five years for most people. And it gives the states a lot of flexibility. All in all, do you think the new welfare law is working well, or not?

Note: See note
NPR/Kaiser/Kennedy School--Poverty in America Survey, [Jan, 2001]

The 1996 Welfare Reform Bill requires welfare recipients to accept work within two years of applying for benefits, and imposes a five-year lifetime limit on welfare assistance. Let's say a presidential candidate opposes these provisions of the Welfare Reform Bill. Would that make you more or less likely to vote for that candidate for president or would that have no effect on your vote one way or the other?

Note: Registered voters
Los Angeles Times Poll, [Nov, 1999]

Job Training and Welfare

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As you may know, federal law requires most individuals who receive welfare assistance from the federal government to work, search for work, or seek additional job training. Do you support or oppose that law? (If Support/Oppose, ask:) Would that be strongly support/oppose or just somewhat support/oppose?

Sample: National likely voters including an oversample of battleground state voters
Resurgent Republic Survey, [Aug, 2012]

(Now I am going to read you some more things Democrats are saying about the Republican budget plan for the next 10 years. After I read each one, please tell me whether this raises very serious doubts, serious doubts, minor doubts, or no real doubts in your own mind about the Republicans' budget plan.)...This plan has the wrong priorities. It is focused on helping corporate special interests and Wall Street, not reducing the deficit or helping the country. It actually raises taxes for the middle class, while cutting them for the wealthiest. It repeals the Wall Street reforms for the big banks. And it abolishes Medicare, cuts funding for education, health care, alternative energy, and job training programs and uses the money not for reducing the deficit, but to help the most privileged.

Sample: National likely voters
Note: Asked of Form A half sample
Democracy Corps Poll, [Apr, 2011]

(Now, thinking about some specific problem areas. For each item that I read, please tell me who you think could do the best job of providing services to people in need.)...Job training...Who could do the best job providing these types of services: a religious organization, a non-religious community-based group, or a federal or state government agency?

Note: Asked of Form 2 half sample
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press/Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life Religion & Public Life Survey, [Aug, 2009]

Government Role Regarding Income Disparities

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(Next, I'm going to read a list of functions the federal government could serve. On a 1 to 5 scale, please say how much responsibility you think the government should have for each--with 1 meaning the government should have no responsibility at all and 5 meaning the government should have total responsibility in this area.) How about...reducing income differences between the rich and the poor?

%
33		1-No responsibility at all
11		2
21		3
11		4
23		5-Total responsibility
1		Don't know
*		Refused

Gallup Poll, [Sep, 2010]

Some people think that the government in Washington ought to reduce the income differences between the rich and the poor, perhaps by raising the taxes of wealthy families or by giving income assistance to the poor. Others think that the government should not concern itself with reducing this income difference between the rich and the poor. Here is a card with a scale from 1 to 7. Think of a score of 1 as meaning that the government ought to reduce the income differences between rich and poor, and a score of 7 meaning that the government should not concern itself with reducing income differences. What score between 1 and 7 comes closest to the way you feel?

%
19		1-Government should
8		2
16		3
18		4
16		5
8		6
16		7-Government should not
1		Don't know

Note: Asked of 2/3 sample
General Social Survey 2010, [Mar, 2010]

I'd like to talk with you about issues some people tell us are important. Some people think that the government in Washington should do everything possible to improve the standard of living for all poor Americans, they are at point 1 on this card. Other people think it is not the government's responsibility, and that each person should take care of himself, they are at point 5. Where would you place yourself on this scale or haven't you made up your mind on this?

Note: Asked of 2/3 sample
General Social Survey 2010, [Mar, 2010]

Causes of Poverty

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In your opinion, which is generally more often to blame if a person is poor? Lack of effort on his or her own part, or circumstances beyond his or her control?

Note: Asked of Form B half sample
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press Values Survey, [Apr, 2012]

In your opinion, which is generally more often to blame if a person is poor? Lack of effort on his or her own part, or circumstances beyond his or her control?

Pew Research Center for the People & the Press Trust in Government Survey, [Mar, 2010]

In your own opinion which is generally more to blame if a person is poor--lack of effort on their part or circumstances beyond their control? (If Lack of effort/Beyond their control, ask:) Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?

The Opportunity Agenda Human Rights in the US Survey, [Jun, 2007]

From the Archives

A plan has been proposed to invite welfare families now living in ghetto areas of large cities to move to areas of the nation where living conditions and job opportunities are better. The government would pay the costs of moving as well as living costs until these families found jobs. Would you favor or oppose such a plan?

Gallup Poll, [Apr, 1977]

As you may know, during the last eight years there have been cuts in Medicaid, which are payments for health care for poor people. From what you know, do you think these cutbacks lowered the quality of health care for poor people, or don't you think so?

NBC News Poll, [Apr, 1989]

(I'm going to read you a list of possible priorities for President (Bill) Clinton's second term. For each, please tell me whether it would make you very favorable toward Clinton, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable toward him?)... Suppose he made his top priority strengthening the social safety net that protects poor people.

Sample: National registered voters
Post Election Poll, [Nov, 1996]