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I actually disagree that the GOP hates poor people, and I think they've given themselves a bad rep/they look bad by comparison to the Dems in the short term. I see it as comparable to the Pepsi Challenge; more people prefer Pepsi during a taste test in which you take a small sip of either because it's sweeter than Coke but it's harder to drink a whole can of Pepsi because it's too sweet beyond the first few tastes. The Dems have a sweeter short-term deal and there's more on the table in the here and now, but the Republicans work out better long-term and are more sustainable. Most Republicans aren't for the removal of welfare, social security, medicare/medicaid, but rather the reform of them so they're more cost-efficient and sustainable long-term. As things are, it's no secret that social security isn't sustainable at all, nor is medicare/medicaid. Rather than continuing to pour money and frankly waste it in a system that's breaking, they're proposing changes. Cutbacks in some places, but changes that are overall intended to save the system without drastically increasing the cost associated with it.
It's the same with welfare; you don't hear many Republicans crying for the outright revocation of welfare benefits, but rather imposing limits on it. Things like mandatory drug testing, limiting the number of consecutive years you're eligible for welfare, mandating that you have to be actively looking for a job and have x number of job applications per month to continue to remain eligible, etc. I think few reasonable people can argue that having a safety net when people get into trouble and can't get out on their own is a bad thing, but the current system is absurdly easy to abuse and we're wasting a lot of resources that could be better utilized. Even I'm eligible for partial welfare benefits, and I don't have it rough at all with regards to finances. It's a question of efficiency, which benefits everyone in the long haul because the programs are able to stay viable long-term when they're as efficient as reasonably possible.
Personally I'd like to be able to have some kind of social security benefits when I retire, even if it's scaled back from what people currently receive. With our current system, that's not going to happen. My dad, who doesn't retire for another 15ish years, isn't necessarily going to have benefits with the current system, and it's even less likely there will be anything left for my generation. I'm all for an overhaul of social security and welfare. Plug the hole and the ship stops sinking. At least try, anyway.
