These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
51% Favor Extending Bush Tax Cuts For The Wealthy
Monday, September 13, 2010
A majority (51%) of U.S. voters now support extending the so-called Bush tax cuts for all Americans including the wealthy, even as the House Republican leader indicates he is willing to compromise with President Obama and not include wealthy taxpayers in the tax cut extension.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely Voters believe the tax cuts should be extended for everyone but the wealthy. The question does not define "wealthy," but the president reiterated in a press conference on Friday that he thinks the tax cuts should be ended for individuals who earn more than $200,000 per year and families that make more than $250,000.
In early August , 48% favored extending the tax cuts which are scheduled to expire at the end of the year to all Americans, while 40% said they should be extended for everyone except the wealthy.
Thirty-five percent (35%) believe increasing taxes for those making more than $250,000 would be good for the economy. Forty percent (40%) disagree and say such a tax hike would be bad for the economy. Fifteen percent (15%) say it would have no impact. These numbers are little changed from the previous survey.
There's also little change in the overall support for extending the Bush tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003. Fifty-six percent (56%) of voters say the tax should be extended, but 34% believe they should be allowed to expire at the end of the year as scheduled.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 10-11, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology .
The Bush tax cuts, according to a description in The Washington Post, "lowered tax rates across the board on income, dividends and capital gains; eventually eliminated the estate tax; further lowered burdens on married couples, parents and the working poor; and increased tax credits for education and retirement savings."
In an already tempestuous election cycle, the political debate over whether the tax cuts should include the wealthy has now prompted a group of rank-and-file Democrats to urge House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to support extending the cuts for all Americans.
With less than two months until Election Day, most voters believe that Democrats in Congress want to raise taxes and spending , while Republicans in Congress want to cut taxes and spending.
Eighty-two percent (82%) of Republicans and 56% of voters not affiliated with either of the major parties favor continuing the tax cuts. Fifty-six percent (56%) of Democrats say they should be allowed to expire.
If the tax cuts are continued, however, 63% of Democrats say they should be extended for all but the wealthy. Seventy-one percent (71%) of GOP voters and 52% of unaffiliateds think the tax cuts should include the wealthy.
Fifty-two percent (52%) of those in the president's party think that allowing the tax cuts to expire for the wealthy would be good for the economy. Fifty-four percent (54%) of Republicans say that would be bad for the economy. Unaffiliated voters are more closely divided on the question.
Eighty-five percent (85%) of all voters say they are following recent news stories about the Bush tax cuts at least somewhat closely, with 54% who are following Very Closely.
Sixty-eight percent (68%) of voters now prefer a smaller government with fewer services and lower taxes to a more active one that offers more services and higher taxes. That's the second highest finding in Rasmussen Reports surveying on the question since November 2006, exceeded only by a 70% finding in August of last year.
Sixty-one percent (61%) say Congress should be required to get voter approval before raising taxes .