7. In your opinion, which is the bigger cause of poverty today - that people are not doing enough to help themselves out of poverty, or that circumstances beyond their control cause them to be poor?

Select Your Answer People aren't doing enough to help themselves out of poverty Circumstances beyond their control cause them to be poor

8. Now I have some more-detailed questions about poverty in America. Not everyone will have heard about all the issues I'm asking about. Please answer each question to the best of your knowledge, but if you're not sure about an answer, just say so.

For each of the following, please tell me if this is a major cause of poverty, a minor cause of poverty, or not a cause at all. Is (ITEM) a major cause of poverty, a minor cause of poverty, or not a cause at all?

9. If you mentioned more than one item as a major cause, which one would you say is the most important cause?

Select Your Answer Drug abuse Medical bills Too many jobs being part time or low wage An increase in single-parent families A shortage of jobs The welfare system Increased immigration Poor people lacking motivation Decline in moral values Poor quality of public schools None of these

10. Do you think that most poor people in the United States are people who work but can't earn enough money, or people who don't work?

Select Your Answer People who work but can't earn enough money People who don't work

11. Do you think poor people in this country are better off, worse off, or about the same as other Americans in terms of health care?

Select Your Answer Better off Worse off About the same

12. In general, do you think poor people have higher, lower, or about the same moral values as other Americans?

Select Your Answer Higher Lower Same

13. Do you think that poor people find it hard to get work, or do you think there are jobs available for anyone who is willing to work?

Select Your Answer Hard to get work Jobs available for anyone who is willing to work

14. Which of the following statements comes closer to your own views? Poor people today have it easy because they can get government benefits without doing anything in return or poor people have hard lives because government benefits don’t go far enough to help them live decently.

Select Your Answer Easy Hard

15. I’d like to know what income level you think makes a family poor. (Select highest number.)

Select Your Answer $10,000 $15,000 $20,000 $25,000 $30,000 $35,000 $40,000 $45,000 $50,000

16. I'd like to know what you think is the least amount of money a family of four can get by on in a year.

Select Your Answer $10,000 $15,000 $20,000 $25,000 $30,000 $35,000 $40,000 $45,000 $50,000

17. Compared with 10 years ago, do you think it is easier today or harder today for a person to start out poor, work hard, and to get out of poverty?

Select Your Answer Easier Harder

18. From what you know, what portion of poor people in this country do you think are African American? About a tenth, about a quarter, about half, or about three-quarters?

Select Your Answer A tenth A quarter Half Three-quarters

19. In terms of the amount of money we as a country are spending on assistance to poor people, do you think we are spending too much, too little, or about the right amount?

Select Your Answer Spending too much Spending too little Spending the right amount

20. If the government were willing to spend whatever it thought was necessary to eliminate poverty in the United States, do you think that this is something that could be accomplished, or not?

Select Your Answer Yes No

21. Do you think government programs that try to improve the condition of poor people in this country are generally making things better, are making things worse, or aren't having much impact one way or another?

Select Your Answer Making things better Making things worse Not much impact one way or another

22. Earlier in this interview you said it's (easier/harder) than it was ten years ago for poor people to get out of poverty by working hard. How much (credit/blame) do you give the federal government for making it (easier/harder)--a lot, some, not much, or none at all?

Select Your Answer A lot Some Not much None at all

23. Here is a list of things the government could do to directly help the poor in America. Please tell me if you support or oppose each.

(a) Increasing the minimum wage	Select Your Answer Support Oppose
(b) Increasing tax credits for low-income workers	Select Your Answer Support Oppose
(c) Increasing cash assistance for families	Select Your Answer Support Oppose
(d) Expanding subsidized daycare	Select Your Answer Support Oppose
(e) Spending more for medical care for poor people	Select Your Answer Support Oppose
(f) Spending more for housing for poor people	Select Your Answer Support Oppose
(g) Making food stamps more available to poor people	Select Your Answer Support Oppose
(h) Guaranteeing everyone a minimum income	Select Your Answer Support Oppose

24. Here is a list of things the government could do that some people say would reduce poverty in America. Do you support or oppose the government doing each?

(a) Requiring public schools teach about moral values and the work ethic	Select Your Answer Support Oppose
(b) Expanding public employment programs	Select Your Answer Support Oppose
(c) Expanding job-training programs	Select Your Answer Support Oppose
(d) Improving public schools in low-income areas	Select Your Answer Support Oppose
(e) Making it harder to get divorced	Select Your Answer Support Oppose
(f) Putting more police in low-income areas	Select Your Answer Support Oppose

25. Would you be willing to pay more in taxes to pay for more of such government spending to help the poor?

Select Your Answer Yes No

26.Would you be willing to pay $200 a year more in taxes?

Select Your Answer Yes No

27. In your opinion, do you think that most people who receive money from welfare today could get along without it if they tried, or do you think that most of them really need this help?

Select Your Answer Get along without it Really need this help

28. In general, do you think people on welfare have higher, lower, or about the same moral values as other Americans?

Select Your Answer Higher Lower About the same

29. Do you think that most welfare recipients today really want to work or not?

Select Your Answer Yes No

30. Do you think there are jobs available for most welfare recipients who really want to work or not?

Select Your Answer Yes No

31. Do you think most of the jobs they can get pay enough to support a family or not?

Select Your Answer Yes No

32. Do you think that welfare encourages women to have more children than they would have if they were not able to get welfare, or not?

Select Your Answer Yes No

Now I have some specific questions about the welfare system. Not everyone will have heard about all the issues I'm asking about. Please answer each question to the best of your knowledge, but if you're not sure about an answer, just say so.

33.To the best of your knowledge, has there been a major change in welfare laws in the past five years, or not?

Select Your Answer Yes No

If you answer no, or if you don't know, skip to Question 44.

34. Just to refresh your memory the new welfare law, which Congress passed in 1996, ends the federal guarantee of public assistance for the poor. It also requires able-bodied recipients to work within two years. It sets a lifetime limit on federal benefits of five years for most people. And it gives the states a lot of flexibility. All in all, do you think the new welfare law is working well, or not?

Select Your Answer Working well Not working well Both

35. The number of Americans receiving public assistance has dropped significantly over the last few years. Do you think this is mainly because the strong economy has created lots of new jobs in the past few years, or because changes in the welfare laws have forced more people to go to work?

Select Your Answer Strong economy has created lots of new jobs in the past few years Changes in the welfare laws have forced more people to go to work Both

36. In general, has the new welfare law resulted in more or less respect for people on welfare or has it had no impact on this?

Select Your Answer More respect Less respect No impact

37. In general, do you think the new welfare law has given the poor themselves more self-respect, less self-respect, or has it had no impact on this?

Select Your Answer More self respect Less self respect No impact

38. In general, do you think most people who have left the welfare rolls have gotten out of poverty, or do you think they are still poor, even if they have found jobs?

Select Your Answer Out of poverty Still poor

39. Do you think the new welfare law has led women on welfare to have more children than they would have otherwise, fewer children, or has it made no difference?

Select Your Answer More children Fewer children No difference

40. Do you think the new welfare law has made it easier to get public assistance, harder to get public assistance, or hasn't it made much of a difference at all?

Select Your Answer Easier Harder No difference

41. Answer only if you said the new welfare law is working well; if you think it is not working well, skip to Question 43.

There are many reasons people give for why they think the new law is working well. I'm going to read you a few of them. Please tell me whether each is a major reason you think the new law is working well, a minor reason, or not a reason at all:

(a) The law has substantially cut the welfare rolls.	Select Your Answer Major reason Minor reason Not a reason at all
(b) The law requires people to go to work.	Select Your Answer Major reason Minor reason Not a reason at all
(c) Welfare departments are now doing more to help poor people.	Select Your Answer Major reason Minor reason Not a reason at all
(d) There is now less stigma attached to receiving welfare.	Select Your Answer Major reason Minor reason Not a reason at all

42. If you answered "major reason" to more than one item, which one would you say is the most important reason?

Select Your Answer The law has substantially cut the welfare rolls. The law requires people to go to work. Welfare departments are now doing more to help poor people. There is now less stigma attached to receiving welfare. None of these

43. Answer only if you believe the new welfare law is not working well. Some people believe the new law isn't working well because it is denying too many people the help they really need. Others believe it is not working well because it still hasn't cut enough people from the welfare rolls. Which belief is closer to YOUR view?

Select Your Answer It is denying too many people the help they really need It still hasn't cut enough people from the welfare rolls

44. When you think of your situation today, do you think of yourself as poor or not?

Select Your Answer Yes No

45. Thinking about your own family - both your immediate family living here and your other close relatives like aunts, uncles, cousins and so on - as far as you know, is anyone in your family poor?

Select Your Answer Yes No

46. Do you have any close friends who are poor?

Select Your Answer Yes No

47. In the past year, have you or someone in your immediate family had a SERIOUS problem with any of the following?

(a) Being unable to find child care or being forced to take your child out of child care because you can't pay?	Select Your Answer Yes No
(b) Falling behind in your rent or mortgage payments?	Select Your Answer Yes No
(c) Falling behind in your gas, electric or phone bills?	Select Your Answer Yes No
(d) Being unable to pay for adequate transportation to get to work or school?	Select Your Answer Yes No
(e) Being unable to get medical care because of the cost?	Select Your Answer Yes No
(f) Having trouble paying a credit card balance?	Select Your Answer Yes No
(g) Having too little money to buy enough food?	Select Your Answer Yes No
(h) Getting divorced or separated, in part because of financial problems?	Select Your Answer Yes No
(i) Being a victim of a crime?	Select Your Answer Yes No
(j) Having a problem with alcohol or drug abuse?	Select Your Answer Yes No

48. Have you or has anyone in your immediate family ever received welfare or public assistance benefits?

Select Your Answer Yes No

If no skip to Question 50.

49. Are you or is anyone in your immediate family receiving such benefits now?

Select Your Answer Yes No

50.Some people tell us that they worry about becoming poor. What do you think? Does the possibility of becoming poor worry you a great deal, worry you a little, or doesn't it worry you at all?

Select Your Answer Worries you a great deal Worries you a little Doesn't worry you at all

51. How would you rate...?

(a) The housing you currently live in?	Select Your Answer Excellent Good Only fair Poor
(b) Your health-care coverage?	Select Your Answer Excellent Good Only fair Poor
(c) The safety of your neighborhood?	Select Your Answer Excellent Good Only fair Poor

52.I'd like to ask you some questions about where you live. Is there a bank convenient for you? How about a supermarket?

(a) Bank	Select Your Answer Yes No
(b) Supermarket	Select Your Answer Yes No

55. If employed, on the whole, how satisfied are you with the work you do? Would you say you are very satisfied, moderately satisfied, a little dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

Select Your Answer Very satisfied Moderately satisfied A little dissatisfied Very dissatisfied

56. How long is your commute to work or school? A half hour or less, a half hour to an hour, one to two hours, or more than two hours?

Select Your Answer A half hour or less A half hour to an hour One to two hours More than two hours

57. I am going to read you a list of things that some people do and others don't. In the past twelve months have you...?

(a) Donated money to an organization that helps the poor?	Select Your Answer Yes No
(b) Contributed your time to an organization that helps the poor?	Select Your Answer Yes No
(c) Directly tried to help a poor individual or family?	Select Your Answer Yes No
(d) Contacted a public official about problems faced by poor people?	Select Your Answer Yes No

58. In general, would you say your health is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?

Select Your Answer Excellent Very Good Fair Poor

62. Do you feel the government will help you if you fall on bad times, or do you think you'll have only yourself to rely on?

Select Your Answer Government will help Have to rely on self Don't know

63. If you were asked to use one of these five names for the economic class you belong to, which would you say you belong in? Would you belong in …?

Select Your Answer Upper class Upper middle class Middle class Working class Lower class

64. Of all the people who are on welfare in this country, are more of them black or are more of them white?

Select Your Answer More are black More are white

66. In politics today, do you consider yourself a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, or something else?

Select Your Answer Republican Democrat Independent Something else

68. Would you say your views in most political matters are liberal, moderate, conservative, something else, or haven't you given this much thought?

Select Your Answer Liberal Moderate Conservative Something else Haven't given this much thought

69. What is the last grade or class that you completed in school?

Select Your Answer None, or grade 1-8 High school incomplete (grades 9-11) High school graduate (grade 12 or GED certificate) Business, technical, or vocational school AFTER high school Some college, no 4-year degree College graduate (B.S., B.A., or other 4-year degree) Post-graduate training or professional schooling after college

Those are all the questions I have for you. Thank you for your cooperation. Have a pleasant day.