Social Welfare Spending (Demographic Patterns)

We are faced with many problems in this country, none of which can be solved easily or inexpensively. I'm going to name some of these problems, and for each one I'd like you to tell me whether you think we're spending too much money on it, too little money, or about the right amount. Are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount on: welfare?

Social Welfare Spending by Age (General Social Survey, 2006)

	18-30	31-44	45-64	65+	Missing	TOTAL
TOO LITTLE	27.8% 76	28.5% 125	22.8% 117	24.1% 62	0	25.6% 380
RIGHT	37.7% 103	32.6% 143	34.9% 179	34.6% 89	1	34.7% 514
TOO MUCH	31.9% 87	35.8% 157	40.2% 206	34.2% 88	1	36.3% 538
DON'T KNOW	2.6% 7	3.2% 14	1.9% 10	6.6% 17	0	3.2% 48
NO ANSWER	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.2% 1	0.4% 1	0	0.1% 2
Missing	577	850	1083	500	16	3026
TOTAL	100% 273	100% 439	100% 513	100% 257	18	1482

Social Welfare Spending by Race (General Social Survey, 2006)

	White	Black	Other	TOTAL
TOO LITTLE	21.9% 237	41.1% 88	29.1% 55	25.6% 380
RIGHT	35.4% 383	30.4% 65	35.4% 67	34.7% 515
TOO MUCH	39.6% 428	25.7% 55	29.6% 56	36.3% 539
DON'T KNOW	2.9% 31	2.8% 6	5.8% 11	3.2% 48
NO ANSWER	0.2% 2	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.1% 2
Missing	2203	420	403	3026
TOTAL	100% 1081	100% 214	100% 189	1484

Social Welfare Spending by Religion (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Protestant	Catholic	Jewish	None	Other	Missing	TOTAL
TOO LITTLE	24.9% 191	23.6% 83	31.6% 6	28.2% 71	30.7% 27	2	25.6% 378
RIGHT	33.6% 257	34.9% 123	31.6% 6	37.7% 95	37.5% 33	1	34.8% 514
TOO MUCH	39.0% 299	36.9% 130	31.6% 6	30.6% 77	26.1% 23	4	36.2% 535
DON'T KNOW	2.3% 18	4.3% 15	5.3% 1	3.6% 9	5.7% 5	0	3.2% 48
NO ANSWER	0.1% 1	0.3% 1	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0	0.1% 2
Missing	1562	762	59	487	137	19	3026
TOTAL	100% 766	100% 352	100% 19	100% 252	100% 88	26	1477

Social Welfare Spending by Gender (General Social Survey, 2006)

	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL
TOO LITTLE	22.3% 143	28.1% 237	25.6% 380
RIGHT	33.2% 213	35.9% 302	34.7% 515
TOO MUCH	41.6% 267	32.3% 272	36.3% 539
DON'T KNOW	2.8% 18	3.6% 30	3.2% 48
NO ANSWER	0.2% 1	0.1% 1	0.1% 2
Missing	1361	1665	3026
TOTAL	100% 642	100% 842	1484

Social Welfare Spending by Church attendance (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Never	Yearly	Monthly	Weekly	Missing	TOTAL
TOO LITTLE	28.5% 107	25.3% 108	29.0% 62	21.9% 102	1	25.6% 379
RIGHT	37.6% 141	34.2% 146	34.6% 74	32.9% 153	1	34.7% 514
TOO MUCH	30.4% 114	37.2% 159	34.6% 74	41.1% 191	1	36.3% 538
DON'T KNOW	3.2% 12	3.3% 14	1.9% 4	3.9% 18	0	3.2% 48
NO ANSWER	0.3% 1	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.2% 1	0	0.1% 2
Missing	645	948	474	943	16	3026
TOTAL	100% 375	100% 427	100% 214	100% 465	19	1481

Social Welfare Spending by Political ideology (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Liberal	Moderate	Conservative	Missing	TOTAL
TOO LITTLE	34.6% 136	24.9% 139	19.0% 93	12	25.5% 368
RIGHT	39.2% 154	37.9% 212	28.6% 140	9	35.1% 506
TOO MUCH	22.6% 89	35.2% 197	49.0% 240	13	36.5% 526
DON'T KNOW	3.3% 13	2.0% 11	3.3% 16	8	2.8% 40
NO ANSWER	0.3% 1	0.0% 0	0.2% 1	0	0.1% 2
Missing	787	1124	980	135	3026
TOTAL	100% 393	100% 559	100% 490	177	1442

Social Welfare Spending by Education (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Not High School	High School	Jr. College	B.A.	Grad Degree	Missing	TOTAL
TOO LITTLE	36.0% 77	23.3% 170	25.0% 35	25.5% 65	22.9% 33	0	25.6% 380
RIGHT	30.8% 66	33.7% 246	30.7% 43	36.5% 93	46.5% 67	0	34.7% 515
TOO MUCH	28.5% 61	40.2% 294	41.4% 58	34.1% 87	27.1% 39	0	36.3% 539
DON'T KNOW	4.7% 10	2.9% 21	2.1% 3	3.5% 9	3.5% 5	0	3.2% 48
NO ANSWER	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.7% 1	0.4% 1	0.0% 0	0	0.1% 2
Missing	477	1542	237	508	259	3	3026
TOTAL	100% 214	100% 731	100% 140	100% 255	100% 144	3	1484

Notes

General Social Survey, 2006: The General Social Surveys (GSS) have been conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) annually since 1972 except for the years 1979, 1981, and 1992 (a supplement was added in 1992), and biennially beginning in 1994. The GSS are designed as part of a program of social indicator research, replicating questionnaire items and wording in order to facilitate time-trend studies. The 2006 GSS includes a topical module for mental health. Items in the 2006 GSS include questions on religious self-identification, denominational affiliation, personal beliefs, and religious upbringing.