---
"title": "Say Government Responsible for the Helpless"
"description": "That's the large share of the public that now agrees that the government has a responsibility \"to take care of people who can't take care of themselves\" -- up from 61% in 2002."
"date": "2007-06-27"
"authors":
  -
    "name": "Russell Heimlich"
    "job_title": "Former web developer"
    "link": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/russell-heimlich/"
"url": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/short-reads/2007/06/27/say-government-responsible-for-the-helpless/"
---

# Say Government Responsible for the Helpless

Support for a government safety net for the poor is at its highest point in many years — roughly seven-in- ten (69%) now believe the government has a responsibility “to take care of people who can’t take care of themselves” — up from 61% in 2002. The number of Americans saying that the government should guarantee “every citizen enough to eat and a place to sleep” has increased by a similar margin over the past five years (from 63% to 69%); agreement with this statement is the highest it has been since 1991.[Read More](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/pubs/434/trends-in-political-values-and-core-attitudes-1987-2007)