More than three quarters of conservatives say the poor “have it easy”

[Grizzly]

More than three quarters of conservatives say the poor “have it easy” - The Washington Post

Some interesting poll results.

I'm sure no one is surprised that many conservatives believe that the poor have it easy and that being poor is primarily the fault of the person who is poor. That's really not a surprise.

I found the "next generation left" interesting (whoever they are). They believe the poor have hard lives - and are split on whether effort or circumstances have made them poor. I find that interesting.

Also interesting is the "great divide" in thinking the poor either have hard or easy lives! Wow.

 

[SaphireOwl]

That explains it then. The Conservatives on the Hill are working to keep making life easier for the poor.

Now, it makes sense.

 

[Thunder Peel]

It depends on what they mean by "easy". I wouldn't say the poor here in America have it easy by any means, yet they do tend to have more opportunity and more support here in America than they would in many other countries. I'm not opposed to help for those who truly need it but I do take offense to those who cheat the system and live off the government when they're perfectly capable of working and providing for themselves. Much of the American poor do not live in the slums like those in a country like India do. If they have running water, housing, and basic food and medical needs available then they are technically doing better than much of poor around the world. I'm not saying that makes their life easy but it does elevate them above the poor of other nations.

It's also unfair to lump all of the poor together. Some are there because of generational poverty or circumstances beyond their control while others are there because of poor choices and bad financial habits. If you choose to neglect your education or refuse to take a job and work your way up then you can't be surprised when you stay where you are. Sometimes you have to take what you can get and work hard until the next opportunity comes along, which is a very basic tenant of conservative ideology. The American dream doesn't guarantee equal outcomes, only equal opportunity for you to work hard and pursue happiness as you choose to define it. Our history is filled with people who started out in poverty and worked their way up to great riches and success.

My fear is that our government is not encouraging the lower class to rise up but rather keeping them in a state of perpetual need. I'm all for helping those who can't help themselves but at some point they also need to learn to support themselves and develop skills that will ensure they can stand on their own.

 

[keith99]

Based on those numbers it seems there were no other choices.

From a conservative standpoint that makes all the questions ones of the 'Have you stopped beating your wife' sort.

Easy or hard life is bad enough, but lazy or circumstances out of their control is even worse.

Over time I've known 3 guys who had landscaping businesses, only one, the most recent and the only Latino complained at all about some workers being lazy. Lack of reliability was the main complaint, approaching the only complaint, from the other 2. I specifically remember one worker who was a real problem for one (the first and 50 years ago). Why a problem? Because the guy would work his *** off and was efficient too. He was a major asset, when he showed up for work. But you never knew if would show up or not.

Most of the poor could do much better because of things that are under their control. But unlike the responsibility issue, which I think is rightly viewed as a shortcoming and that they are aware of, much of the problems of the poor stem from mistakes they are not even aware of. And in some cases mistakes they had little chance to become aware of unless someone provides guidance.

 

[NightHawkeye]

More than three quarters of conservatives say the poor “have it easy” - The Washington Post

Some interesting poll results.

I'm sure no one is surprised that many conservatives believe that the poor have it easy and that being poor is primarily the fault of the person who is poor. That's really not a surprise.

I'm sure no one is surprised that many liberals belive that the poor are poor due to circumstances beyond their control. That's not really a surprise either.

I found the "next generation left" interesting (whoever they are). They believe the poor have hard lives - and are split on whether effort or circumstances have made them poor. I find that interesting.

It is interesting. Apparently, the "next generation left" are seeing with their own eyes. Reality is such that life itself is a struggle. Life has always has been a struggle for most people, and likely always will be.

Also interesting is the "great divide" in thinking the poor either have hard or easy lives! Wow.

Neither of which is correct.

 

[abdAlSalam]

I didn't find it in the link, but what are they defining as the "Next Generation Left"?

 

[Savior2006]

I can't help but feel it's kind of a loaded question.

 

[iluvatar5150]

I didn't find it in the link, but what are they defining as the "Next Generation Left"?

If you click the links to the Pew site, you can take the quiz yourself, and it'll explain more about how they define things.

I took the quiz and it described me as "solid liberal," which is kind of silly. At best, I'm a moderate, pragmatic liberal.

 

[abdAlSalam]

If you click the links to the Pew site, you can take the quiz yourself, and it'll explain more about how they define things.

I took the quiz and it described me as "solid liberal," which is kind of silly. At best, I'm a moderate, pragmatic liberal.

I did take the quiz, but I guess I didn't notice where they said how they defined their cohorts.

It also labeled me as a staunch liberal which is pretty funny.

EDIT found it:

Generally young, well-educated and financially comfortable, the Next Generation Left have very liberal attitudes on many issues, including homosexuality, abortion, the environment and foreign policy. While overall supportive of an activist government, most are wary of expanding the social safety net. Most also have relatively positive views of Wall Street’s impact on the economy. While most affiliate with the Democratic Party or lean Democratic, few consider themselves strong Democrats. Compare groups on key issues.

So not young leftists at all. How unsurprising.

 

[Christos Anesti]

I think conservatives might not necessarily disagree with the "hard life" part you just aren't going to get many of them to agree that the lack of programs play a role in that. Sometimes conservatives even try to say that receiving say food stamps or welfare makes life harder than easier because you are supposedly then a slave to the government or something to that effect. I don't buy that reasoning but I do see people use it.

 

[Joykins]

If I believed that being poor was an "easy life" I'd quit my job to get that easy life

But I know it isn't so I don't.

 

[iluvatar5150]

I did take the quiz, but I guess I didn't notice where they said how they defined their cohorts.

It also labeled me as a staunch liberal which is pretty funny.

EDIT found it:


So not young leftists at all. How unsurprising.

Yeah, I was actually going to start a thread on this same poll, until I took the quiz for myself and found it rather dubious.

 

[ObamaChristian]

Doesn't surprise me at all that conservatives think the poor have it easy and are lazy and irresponsible.

Just take a look at the man who won the heart of republicans from the last presidential election sum this poll in a nutshell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2gvY2wqI7M

Yep; all those who don't pay a income tax are parasites, like the retired, the veterans, the working poor, the children, the disabled, and sure some lazy poor people as well.

I bet Mr. Romney would think the poor have it easy with all their entitlements, while he's riding in his private jet.

 

[cow451]

I've been poor and not-poor. I'll take not-poor every single time.

 

[DaisyDay]

I've been poor and not-poor. I'll take not-poor every single time.

Yeah, me too. Being poor is definitely more stressful and less fun, especially as you get older, when physical labor is no longer easy money and health issues creep in.

 

[keith99]

If I believed that being poor was an "easy life" I'd quit my job to get that easy life

But I know it isn't so I don't.

It does say Easy, not good.

Just pointing out sitting around all day with nothing to do (and no excess funds to allow either enjoyment or a try at making more money) and no hope, but also no effort, could be called easy.

It is not good. After a couple of years of that I might call it a taste of Hell.

A life just outside the poverty zone could involve a lot of hard, even 'back breaking' work, but also fulfillment and hope for a better life.

A hard but good life.

 

[keith99]

I took the quiz.

Seems I'm Next Generation Left.

But then I have some huge issues with the quiz. For the first 7 questions it seemed like more often than not neither answer was in the same ballpark, no scratch that, same time zone as my views.

Many other questions were in a we need more vrs less. My view is we need smarter. In fact I thing the more or less paradigm is a major problem. We end up with bad laws vrs gutted bad laws instead of taking an idea and instead of figuring out how to maximize the positive impact and minimize the negative we have a wildly swinging pendulum that looks at only one side of the equation and causes great damage at the other side of the equation.

I consider myself more old school conservative with a twist of social liberal. (And the idea that there are some things that should not be encouraged but also should not be legislated against is one point where both 'conflicting' sides are in total agreement).

As to the poor I oppose the dole, I support training programs and other things to actually get people out of poverty. As a poor interim measure I think money and food, but not enough to become 'comfortable' is acceptable.

Programs that make it so getting a job makes someone worse off, or even programs that create a false perception that this is the case are the worst of both worlds.

None of my views ever seemed to be a choice.

 

[Manic Spinoza]

Compared to middle and upper-income Americans, the poor are three times less likely to have health insurance coverage, and more likely to put off or skip necessary medical treatment as a result;
They are three times more likely to be victimized by crime;
The daily stresses of living under poverty impose a cognitive burden equivalent to losing 13 IQ points;
Poor children are three times more likely to be affected by food scarcity and obesity;
Poor children receive a lower quality education in public school, and the ones who make it to college are more likely to drop out;
Poorer Americans breathe dirtier air, they sleep less, and the even have less sex;
And in the end all this "easy living" literally shaves decades off their lives.

What fun! Who wouldn't want that?

 

[ThatRobGuy]

How are we defining "easy"?

Are we saying "easy" in the true sense?...meaning how much actual effort is put forth, or are we classifying "easy" in terms of creature comforts and how much money one has?

In terms of creature comforts and lifestyle, people with more money definitely have it easier.

In terms of actual work, however,...well, that's not quantified in dollars & cents. You have people who work hard and people who hardly work all across the board in terms of income.

A person who does nothing and collects $15k has it easier than a person who works hard for their $100k

I took the quiz of loaded questions and it classified me as a "Young Outsider"

...seriously tho...those questions were terribly worded. There were 4 or 5 where I didn't like either answer.

 

[MachZer0]

I've been poor and not-poor. I'll take not-poor every single time.

In other words, you would take the steps necessary to be "not-poor"