Americans blame the welfare state more than any other factor for persistent poverty in the United States, according to a poll released on Thursday.
The poll, commissioned by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal, found that a 24 percent plurality of American adults felt that the problem is "too much welfare that prevents initiative."
Only 4 percent said a "lack of government funding" was responsible for persistent poverty. Two percent said racial discrimination is to blame.
NBC News reports:
Whether Americans are too dependent on government was a flashpoint of the presidential campaign last year, and shrinking government has been a focus of the Tea Party movement, which has risen since the election of President Barack Obama.
"Lack of job opportunities" was the second most popular answer, at 18 percent, followed by "lack of good educational opportunities" and "breakdown of families," with 13 percent apiece.
