Public is sharply divided in views of Americans in poverty

About four-in-ten (37%) of those with incomes of $50,000 or more say that poor people have hard lives; among those with incomes under $20,000, about two-thirds (65%) say this.

…73% of Republicans say the government can’t afford to do much more to help the needy, while just 32% of Democrats say this.  Among the most affluent Americans (those with family incomes above $150,000), party may trump income when it comes to views about the poor.

High-income Democrats (those with family incomes of $150,000 or more) are among the most sympathetic to the poor. About three-in-four (73%) say the poor have hard lives, a share that is higher than among Democrats of lower incomes. By contrast, strong majorities of wealthy and middle income Republicans (those with family incomes of $50,000 or higher) say that the poor have it easy, with more than seven-in-ten holding that view.

hmmmm