Of course they want to keep the poor, poor. What would happen to their party, if a president of another party came along and got the economy cranked up so that all the poor they had so contently stashed on the dole, were suddenly able to find jobs, make their own money, have some self respect, and decide they'd like to keep some of the money they had earned through their own hard work? Oh, and they might just vote for candidates from that other party... what would happen then?
Panic time for them, and their panic has resulted in a circus impeachment. They have nothing else.