Rich People Say Poor People Have It Easy Today: Thousands Of Wealthy Americans Weigh In On Controversial Subject


Rich people say poor people have it easy today in the U.S. Thousands of wealthy Americans are weighing in on the subject and feel that the poor are living decently, reaping the rewards of government benefits without “doing anything in return.”

A new study conducted by Pew Research discovered that the majority of “financially secure Americans” feel being poor is taking the easy way.

One-third of the 3,154 wealthy people surveyed did say that the poor do “have hard lives because government benefits don’t go far enough to help them live decently,” according to CNBC’s report of the study.

A lot of the rich don’t feel the nation can afford more of the “needy,” and they aren’t alone in their opinions. As CNBC notes, Pew doesn’t divide wealth by income or assets. Instead, it gauges financial security by measuring employment status, savings account holdings, credit card possession, level of debt, and retirement savings accounts. Only about a third of those considered “financially secure” fall into the $100,000 or more annual income category. Twenty-three percent made less than $50,000 annually.

True, this may not be the absolute wealthiest percentage of Americans, but many of those earning over $100,000 actually weren’t considered financially secure in this study.

Fifty-four percent of the “rich people” say poor people have it easy, while 47 percent fell in the middle with their answers on the study, according to the report. Thirty-six percent agreed that the poor have harder lives because of “inadequate” benefits from the government, while 45 percent of those ranked in the middle. Over two-thirds of the least financially secure in this research also agreed that the poor have it harder due to “lack” of adequate programs.

Who’s most likely to be the least financially secure? Non-white, single females who have a health condition and are unable to work. More than 6 in 10 are racial or ethnic minorities.

Almost half of those doing well financially are those with a college degree or higher. College graduation is one of the key determining factors in distinguishing financial status.

It’s been said many times over the years in politics, as well, that single mothers struggling to raise children are also one of the casualties of living a hard life.

Pew Research reveals that 36 percent of the wealthiest used in this study had “consistently liberal” or “mostly liberal” views. Forty percent are described as “mostly conservative” or “consistently conservative,” and 24 percent are described as being a “mix” between liberals and conservatives.

To read more about the Pew Research study on what rich people say about poor people in the U.S., read more here.

[Image via Lollipop]

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