Pew poll: Wealthy think poor have it easy

It's easy being poor.

At least that's what the majority of financially secure Americans believe, according to a report from Pew Research Center.

The poll, released this month, indicates the majority of people in the top three social economic strata believe the poor "have it easy because they can get government benefits without doing anything in return."

"Anyone who thinks the poor have it easy because they can receive government benefits without doing anything in return is probably ill-informed about what it is like to live in poverty," said Joe Micon, executive director of Lafayette Urban Ministry.

Micon said the perception doesn't take into account that most of those government programs — such as SNAP benefits or housing assistance — don't work that well.

"They are certainly ill-informed about the efficacy of most public aid programs, which do little to lift the poor out of poverty," Micon said.

For the poll, Pew used 10 interrelated questions to place 3,154 respondents into five categories on a spectrum of financial security. Each category, ranging from most secure to least secure, represented 25 percent to 15 percent of respondents.

Fifty-four percent of the most financial secure individuals felt the poor have an easy life. Fifty-seven percent and 47 percent of the next two highest security levels felt the same. Of the bottom two levels that were considered least secure, 36 percent believe the poor have it easy.

"It's a horrible way to live," said Jennifer Layton, executive director of Lafayette Transitional Housing Center. "And those that think any differently are uninformed and should volunteer at one of the local homeless shelters so they can meet people who struggle each and every day and are just trying to survive."

Also reflected in the poll: Low-income people are far less likely to vote or be politically engaged. In the 2014 election, 94 percent of those at the highest income level were registered to vote, compared to 54 percent of the lowest income level.

Voting records for that election aren't yet available, but Pew projects that 63 percent of those at the top income level were likely voters versus 20 percent of those at the lowest income level.

It's those very voters that need to have their voices heard, said Rosalee Clawson, head of Purdue University's department of political science.

"There is quite a bit of political science research that shows policies are more likely to be consistent with the views of upper-income individuals or middle-class individuals," Clawson said. "So the fact that the low income, the least financially secure, are participating at lower rates does have an effect of what kinds of policies come out of Congress and out of the statehouse."

Micon said that logic — that life is easy for those getting government breaks — also should apply to large companies that receive tax breaks and other corporate welfare perks.

"The difference, of course, is one group has influence in the halls of Congress and our nation's statehouses, the other does not," Micon said. "Can you imagine how different the economic landscape would look if everyone took their voting franchise seriously?"