The Nation - News from Aug. 22, 1989

In a country that has enjoyed almost seven years of uninterrupted economic growth, there is a growing public concern about poverty, according to the latest Gallup Poll. Telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 1,250 adults conducted earlier this month show that most people think poverty in America is increasing. Only a third of Americans (33%) approve of President Bush’s handling of the problems of poverty and homelessness, while a majority (53%) disapprove. The harshness of this rating is underscored by the fact that as many as seven in 10 Americans (69%) approve of the overall job Bush is doing. The vast majority of adults polled (83%) believe that the percentage of Americans living below the poverty line is increasing from year to year. And 45% believe that living conditions for the poor have worsened.