The largest government program aimed exclusively at helping the poor is __________.(LO6) a) the Earned Income Tax Credit b) public assistance c) food stamps d) Social Security

The topic of this exercise centers around government programs that help the poor. The goal is to identify the largest, so it's important to have or gather some information about each option.

Research or recall what each program does and to what extent: a) The Earned Income Tax Credit - It provides a refundable tax credit to low-moderate income working individuals and couples, particularly those with children. It's a major tool to reduce poverty. b) Public assistance - This is a general term for government aid to the poor. It could take the form of medical aid, food assistance, housing subsidies, etc. c) Food stamps - Now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), this government initiative provides eligible low-income individuals with assistance for purchasing food. d) Social Security - This is a federal insurance program that provides benefits to retirees, disabled people, and their survivors. Though it does help individuals who would fall within the low-income bracket, the benefits are not exclusive to them and are based on a person's work history and contributions.

Based on the information on each program, the largest government program that is aimed exclusively at helping the poor should be option (b) public assistance. Public assistance comprises multiple programs that aid the poor, making it a larger umbrella of aid. While other programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit and Food Stamps (SNAP) do aim to help low-income individuals, these are subsets under public assistance. Social Security, meanwhile, benefits a range of individuals including, but not exclusive to, the poor.