| Lack of Effort | Circumstances | Both | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republicans | 57 | 28 | 10 | 
| Independents | 37 | 46 | 12 | 
| Democrats | 24 | 61 | 10 | 
Why Are People Poor?
Percentage of Americans Believing Most Poor People Are That Way Because...
Sources:
people-press.org

| Lack of Effort | Circumstances | Both | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republicans | 57 | 28 | 10 | 
| Independents | 37 | 46 | 12 | 
| Democrats | 24 | 61 | 10 | 
Democrats and Republicans have nearly diametrically opposed views on the reason most poor people in America have ended up that way, with nearly two-thirds of Democrats blaming "circumstances", while nearly the same amount of Republicans blame a "lack-of-effort." Independents are somewhat more likely to blame circumstance, as well. This reflects the party disagreement in funding income-redistribution programs.