While most Americans say the government should do more to combat poverty, most also say that it’s too easy for people to receive welfare payments in the United States.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 53% of Americans say it’s too easy to get welfare payments while just 22% say it’s too hard. Nine percent (9%) say the balance is about right while 16% are not sure. Another survey, released last week, found that 56% of Americans believe the government should do more to combat poverty.

The survey also found that 46% believe the federal government should take the lead in fighting poverty while 42% believe that state (23%) or local (19%) governments should take the lead.

Only 32% believe that raising the minimum wage will reduce poverty. The earlier survey found that 45% believe enforcing immigration laws will reduce poverty.

There are significant partisan differences on all questions. Republicans, by a 66% to 14% margin, say it’s too easy to receive welfare. Democrats are more evenly divided with 40% saying it’s too easy and 33% too hard. Among those not affiliated with either major party, 54% say it’s too easy to receive welfare and 17% say too hard.

Democrats, by a 2-to-1 margin, believe the federal government should take the lead in combating poverty rather than state or local government. Most Republicans want state or local governments to take the lead while those not affiliated with either major party are evenly divided.

Most Republicans and unaffiliated voters say raising the minimum wage will not reduce poverty. Democrats are evenly divided.

A significant gap was found along racial lines only on the question of welfare payments. By a 59% to 16% margin, white voters say it is too easy to receive welfare payments. By a 50% to 24% margin, black voters disagree. Other voters are evenly divided.

Hoping to capitalize on the belief that more should be done to fight poverty, former North Carolina Senator John Edwards (D) focused his Presidential campaign on poverty issues last week. However, just 28% of Likely voters were able to identify Edwards as the candidate focusing on poverty issues. Fifteen percent (15%) thought it was Illinois Senator Barack Obama who focused attention on poverty while 13% thought it was New York Senator Hillary Clinton. A plurality of 34% was not sure which candidate focused on the issue and none of the Republican candidates was named by more than 3% of survey respondents.

Just 19% of voters said they were following “news stories about a presidential candidate drawing attention to the issue of poverty in America” Very Closely.

Crosstabs are available for Premium Members only.