Poll: Americans Oppose Make-Believe Legislation

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Wednesday, January 14, 2009 at 6:36 pm

In addition to super-accurate presidential and local race polling, Rasmussen Reports traffics in polls that ask unusual questions that have been bouncing around conservative circles. In October 2008, for example, the company asked if Americans agreed with President Ronald Reagan’s first inaugural address and the statement “Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” Fifty-nine percent said yes, which directly or indirectly encouraged the McCain-Palin campaign to pound home the message that Barack Obama was a big-government redistributor of wealth. (Reagan actually said that this pertained to “our current crisis,” but never mind.)

Now, RR has polled the stimulus.

Generally speaking, do you favor or oppose the economic recovery plan proposed by Barack Obama?

44% Favor
28% Oppose
27% Not sure

What will do the most to stimulate the economy– tax cuts or new government spending?

47% Tax cuts
32% New government spending
22% Not sure

Suppose the economic recovery plan changed so that it included tax cuts only and there was no new government spending. Would you favor or oppose an economic recovery plan that included tax cuts only?

37% Favor
38% Oppose
25% Not sure

Suppose the economic recovery plan changed so that it included only new government spending and there were no tax cuts. Would you favor or oppose an economic recovery plan that included only new government spending?

21% Favor
58% Oppose
21% Not sure

Message: Americans like tax cuts more than “new government spending.” Subtext: the Republican suggestions for the stimulus, which are all tax cuts all the time, is more popular than the Democrats’ spending plans. “Many Democrats are concerned that there is not enough spending in Obama’s plan,” points out Rasmussen.

The problem is that the Democrats are proposing both tax cuts and new spending. Obama’s plan, which includes both, is favored 44-28, while the Republicans’ plan is opposed 38-37. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear Republicans cite this poll in criticizing the Democrats’ spending plans.

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Comments

8 Comments

ajm8127
Comment posted January 14, 2009 @ 5:27 pm

People generally think that off shore drilling will lower gas prices too. The fact is most people really don't know what's good for them on the level of the entire economy of the United States. For instance, would you listen to Joe Schmoe about the migratory and mating habits of the blue whale, or would you listen to a marine biologist? Likewise, we should be listening to people who study economics for a living when it comes to questions about what we should do to energize the economy. Also, looking at what worked in the past wouldn't hurt either.


gilmanc
Comment posted January 15, 2009 @ 7:04 am

Tax cuts make people feel better. They think the few dollars they get will help the economy, even though every dollar of tax cut is never spent.

Government spending has the problem of actually pumping money into the economy. The government spends, businesses expand to meet the need, hire people, pay taxes back, the economy as a whole wins.

While everyone knows that tax cuts do not pay for themselves, I believe an economist did show that government spending does more for the economy than do tax cuts.

In the end, people prefer tax cuts because they are selfish. They want more money for themselves, regardless of whether or not a tax cut actually helps anything.


elaygee
Comment posted January 29, 2009 @ 9:24 am

Doing waht is popular doesn't make it right. Hitler was voted in by a popular majority. Americans were in favor of seperate for equal rights for non whites by a large majority. 50.1% doesn't make a plan right or gauge its chances of success. It just makes it popular.


Janie3804
Comment posted January 29, 2009 @ 4:27 pm

Well Said “ajm8127' and that's what FoxNews (FNC) does for you. They ALWAYS getting opinions of Econmicist. And guest what they saying: The Stimulus Plan will NOT work. We will go up a little for a while then a HARD HIT Downwards called 'Depression”.

Well said to 'elaygee'!! I agree!


Republican4Change
Comment posted January 29, 2009 @ 4:41 pm

Republicans aren't just for tax cuts – we're for tax cuts that will stimulate the economy and create jobs. The spending in this stimulus package will not stimulate the economy and create jobs – contraception funding, National Endowment for the Arts funding, anti-smoking funding, anti-STD funding, this is just liberal spending. $160 billion goes directly to the states to pad their budgets so they can continue over-spending.

We should include more tax cuts for small businesses and the middle class. That should be coupled with more spending on roads, bridges, and schools, which will create jobs and stimulate the economy.

We got into this situation because Americans have been living beyond their means. The government now needs to show fiscal restraint, so that Americans can learn restraint, and keep this from happening again.


elaygee
Comment posted January 29, 2009 @ 5:24 pm

Doing waht is popular doesn't make it right. Hitler was voted in by a popular majority. Americans were in favor of seperate for equal rights for non whites by a large majority. 50.1% doesn't make a plan right or gauge its chances of success. It just makes it popular.


Janie3804
Comment posted January 30, 2009 @ 12:27 am

Well Said “ajm8127' and that's what FoxNews (FNC) does for you. They ALWAYS getting opinions of Econmicist. And guest what they saying: The Stimulus Plan will NOT work. We will go up a little for a while then a HARD HIT Downwards called 'Depression”.

Well said to 'elaygee'!! I agree!


Republican4Change
Comment posted January 30, 2009 @ 12:41 am

Republicans aren't just for tax cuts – we're for tax cuts that will stimulate the economy and create jobs. The spending in this stimulus package will not stimulate the economy and create jobs – contraception funding, National Endowment for the Arts funding, anti-smoking funding, anti-STD funding, this is just liberal spending. $160 billion goes directly to the states to pad their budgets so they can continue over-spending.

We should include more tax cuts for small businesses and the middle class. That should be coupled with more spending on roads, bridges, and schools, which will create jobs and stimulate the economy.

We got into this situation because Americans have been living beyond their means. The government now needs to show fiscal restraint, so that Americans can learn restraint, and keep this from happening again.


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