Frequently that's exactly how things like Pell Grants are sold, however; as help for the poverty-stricken. A lot of people are considerably less supportive of the idea of their tax dollars paying for other people's children's college educations when those other people aren't any worse off than they are when their children aren't getting those benefits.

The opening description of the Pell Grant from the grant's own web page:

"The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate and certain postbaccalaureate students to promote access to postsecondary education."