Americans Say Too Much Welfare Causes Poverty

Take a guess. In a new Wall Street Journal/NBC news poll, the most popular response to the question asking voters what the prime cause of poverty was:

1. Lack of work ethic
2. Breakdown of families
3. Lack of good educational opportunities
4. Lack of job opportunities

Answer: None of these. In fact, the most popular answer was Too Much Welfare. Too much welfare got 24% of the vote, while A) received 10%, B) 13%, C) 13%, and D) 18%.

83% of voters said welfare recipients should have to work, and most Americans agreed that work, not government handouts, was the best route to escape poverty.