Questions - Poverty - August 16-17, 2011

National Survey of 1,000 Adults
Conducted August 16-17, 2011
By Rasmussen Reports

1* How severe is poverty in the United States today?

2* Do current government programs increase the level of poverty in America or decrease the level of poverty in America? Or do they have no impact on the level of poverty?

3* The U.S. government establishes an official poverty line. People who live below that level are considered to be in poverty. For a family of four, is the official poverty line today $9,000, $14,000, $22,000, $31,000, or $35,000?

4* Regardless of government policy, should the official poverty line be $9,000 or less, $14,000, $22,000, $31,000, or $35,000 or more?

5* Suppose a family has two color TVs, a VCR, and a DVD player. Is that family living in poverty

6* If a family is adequately fed and is living in a house or apartment that is in good repair, is that family living in poverty?

7* What is the bigger problem with welfare programs in the United States—that too many people get welfare who should not be getting it or that too many people who should receive welfare do not?

8* Think for a moment about immigrants who follow the law and enter the United States legally. How long should legal immigrants have to wait before collecting welfare benefits in the United States?

9* Do you agree or disagree with the following statement—some people support government programs to fight poverty because it’s easier than getting personally involved?

NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence