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alp227

(32,004 posts) Thu Jun 26, 2014, 04:25 PM Jun 2014

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

More than three quarters of conservative Americans - those in the steadfast conservative, business conservative, and young outsider typology groups - agree that "poor people have it easy because they can get government benefits without doing anything." Only seven percent of steadfast conservatives say that the poor "have hard lives."

Even a not-insignificant share of left-leaning groups say that the poor have it easy. But overall the widespread agreements among conservatives on this point is what's really striking here. There are reasonable, well-intentioned arguments on either side of many poverty-related issues - about the causes of poverty (see the right half of the chart), or whether government benefits provide a leg up or simply perpetuate poverty, for instance.

full: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/06/26/more-than-three-quarters-of-conservatives-say-the-poor-have-it-easy/

(edit) The labels like "hard pressed skeptic" are explained here. http://www.people-press.org/2014/06/26/the-political-typology-beyond-red-vs-blue/

9 replies

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More than three quarters of conservatives say the poor “have it easy” (Original Post) alp227 Jun 2014 OP

9 percent of hard core left believe that the poor lack effort on his or her part yeoman6987 Jun 2014 #1

Boolean question, non-boolean reality. jeff47 Jun 2014 #5

people should keep this in mind when the call DUers VanillaRhapsody Jun 2014 #2

Well, in fairness, the poor don't have to pass nearly as much solid bullshit as the RW. NYC_SKP Jun 2014 #3

What is a "Hard Pressed Skeptic"? Quantess Jun 2014 #4

explained here alp227 Jun 2014 #6

Are the "Next Generation Left" actually libertarians? redqueen Jun 2014 #7

Minimum wage Rider3 Jun 2014 #8

How are their "young outsiders" any different from "next generation left"? starroute Jun 2014 #9

yeoman6987

(14,449 posts)

1. 9 percent of hard core left believe that the poor lack effort on his or her part

Reply to alp227 (Original post)

Thu Jun 26, 2014, 04:27 PM

Jun 2014

Really? I don't know about this study. I find that hard to believe for some reason.

jeff47

(26,549 posts)

5. Boolean question, non-boolean reality.

Reply to yeoman6987 (Reply #1)

Thu Jun 26, 2014, 04:44 PM

Jun 2014

It's a flaw in the question - you get one answer or the other. Reality is there's a small number of poor people where their poverty is caused by a lack of effort.

You can't answer 95/5. You can only answer 100/0 or 0/100. Some folks are going to give the 0/100 answer.

VanillaRhapsody

(21,115 posts)

2. people should keep this in mind when the call DUers

Reply to alp227 (Original post)

Thu Jun 26, 2014, 04:37 PM

Jun 2014

Conservative!

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)

3. Well, in fairness, the poor don't have to pass nearly as much solid bullshit as the RW.

Reply to alp227 (Original post)

Thu Jun 26, 2014, 04:39 PM

Jun 2014

I mean, that action just leads to bigger and bigger assholes, as we've all seen!

Quantess

(27,630 posts)

4. What is a "Hard Pressed Skeptic"?

Reply to alp227 (Original post)

Thu Jun 26, 2014, 04:42 PM

Jun 2014

I like pressed coffee black. Does that count?

alp227

(32,004 posts)

6. explained here

Reply to Quantess (Reply #4)

Thu Jun 26, 2014, 04:48 PM

Jun 2014

http://www.people-press.org/2014/06/26/the-political-typology-beyond-red-vs-blue/

Hard-Pressed Skeptics have been battered by the struggling economy, and their difficult financial circumstances have left them resentful of both government and business. Despite their criticism of government performance, they back more generous government support for the poor and needy. Most Hard-Pressed Skeptics say they voted for Obama in 2012, though fewer than half approve of his job performance today.

redqueen

(115,101 posts)

7. Are the "Next Generation Left" actually libertarians?

Reply to alp227 (Original post)

Thu Jun 26, 2014, 04:49 PM

Jun 2014

Cause

Rider3

(919 posts)

8. Minimum wage

Reply to alp227 (Original post)

Thu Jun 26, 2014, 05:44 PM

Jun 2014

Put these jerks on minimum wage and see how easy they have it. Hell, even a few bucks more than minimum wage. They'll still struggle to get by. What assholes.

starroute

(12,977 posts)

9. How are their "young outsiders" any different from "next generation left"?

Reply to alp227 (Original post)

Thu Jun 26, 2014, 06:13 PM

Jun 2014

"Young Outsiders lean Republican but do not have a strong allegiance to the Republican Party; in fact they tend to dislike both political parties. On many issues, from their support for environmental regulation to their liberal views on social issues, they diverge from traditional GOP orthodoxy. Yet in their support for limited government, Young Outsiders are firmly in the Republicans’ camp."

"The Next Generation Left are young, relatively affluent and very liberal on social issues like same-sex marriage and abortion. But they have reservations about the cost of social programs. And while most of the Next Generation Left support affirmative action, they decisively reject the idea that racial discrimination is the main reason why many blacks are unable to get ahead."

Both groups sound socially liberal/fiscally conservative. I suppose the Young Outsiders might be libertarians and the Next Generation Left whatever passes for yuppies these days. But neither group seems to have any room for the young people who are scuffling, overwhelmed by student loans, or passionate about social change and environmental protection. Are they all lumped into Hard-Pressed Skeptics? It seems like a good way of writing much of a generation out of the picture.

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