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     Federal Budget and Taxes (p. 2)
Polls listed chronologically. All data are from nationwide surveys of Americans 18 & older.

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The Gallup Poll. Jan. 7-9, 2002. N=1,015 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"Thinking about the economy: In general, do you prefer the Republicans' or the Democrats' approach to deal with the country's current economic problems?"
Repub-
licans'		 Demo-
crats'		 Both
(vol.)		 Neither
(vol.)		 Not
Sure
% % % % %
1/02 43 37 3 8 9
12/01 44 35 4 5 12

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"As you may know, Congress is considering a bill to stimulate the economy. In this bill, do you think most of the money should be spent on new tax cuts, or do you think most of the money should be spent on increased government spending on such things as benefits for recently unemployed workers and construction projects?"
New
Tax Cuts		 More
Spending		 Both/
Neither
(vol.)		 Not
Sure
% % % %
1/02 41 46 8 5
11/01 32 56 7 5

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"As you may know, Congress passed a tax cut last year. Some of the tax cuts were scheduled to go into effect this year. Just your opinion, should Congress postpone or repeal the tax cuts, or go ahead with the tax cuts as planned?"
Postpone/
Repeal		 Go
Ahead		 Not
Sure
% % %
1/02 28 67 5

 

Investor's Business Daily/Christian Science Monitor poll conducted by TIPP, the polling arm of TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence. Nov. 7-11, 2001. N=920 adults nationwide.

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"Now I am going to read different actions the government could take to stimulate the economy. As I read each one please tell me if you favor or oppose the action. Okay? How about [see below]?"
Favor Oppose Unsure
% % %
"Increasing the minimum wage to stimulate the economy"
75 23 2

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"Increasing infrastructure spending to stimulate the economy, e.g., building or improving roads, bridges and railroads, etc."
72 22 6

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"Cutting federal income taxes to stimulate the economy"
66 31 4

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"Cutting capital gains taxes to stimulate the economy"
61 28 11

 

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Robert Teeter (R). Nov. 9-11, 2001. N=809 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.5.

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"Which of the following options do you think should receive greater emphasis in an economic stimulus plan? Option A: Extend unemployment benefits and help pay health care premiums for laid-off workers and fund public works programs to create jobs. OR, Option B: Provide tax cuts for individuals to stimulate spending and especially for businesses to encourage investment and create jobs."
%
Option A: Extend benefits, fund public works 43
Option B: Tax cuts for individuals and businesses 50
Not sure 7

 

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates. Sept. 27-28, 2001. N=1,000 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"Which of the following, if any, would you personally favor to try to stimulate the economy and avoid a long recession? Would you favor or oppose [see below]?"
Favor Oppose Unsure
% % %
"Major new government spending for security and infrastructure improvements, and to help New York City"
89 8 3

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"Accelerated depreciation for new buildings and equipment that would reduce taxes for many businesses"
61 26 13

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"Cutting capital gains taxes on profits from the sale of real estate, stocks and other investments"
54 32 14

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"Another tax rebate to almost all Americans who pay income taxes, as large or larger than the last one"
42 50 8

 

CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll. Aug. 24-26, 2001. N=814 adults nationwide. MoE ± 4.

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"As you may know, the federal government currently has a budget surplus, which means the government takes in more money than it spends. Recent reports indicate that the size of the federal budget surplus has decreased by more than $100 billion since April of this year. Please tell me whether you think each of the following is very responsible, somewhat responsible, not very responsible, or not responsible at all for the decrease in the budget surplus. How about [see below]?"
Very Some-
what		 Not
Very		 Not
At all		 No
Opinion
% % % % %
George W. Bush 33 39 11 13 4
The Republicans in Congress 24 47 12 10 7
The Democrats in Congress 15 46 18 13 8

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"Do you think the decrease in the budget surplus is a very serious problem, somewhat serious, not very serious, or not a serious problem at all?"
%
Very serious 34
Somewhat serious 39
Not very serious 15
Not serious at all 10
No opinion 2

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"What do you think is more likely to happen to the federal budget by next year: the government will have a budget surplus, or the government will have a budget deficit?"
%
Surplus 40
Deficit 54
No opinion 6

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"Do you think the Republican Party or the Democratic Party would do a better job of dealing with each of the following issues and problems? The federal budget."
%
Republican Party 44
Democratic Party 45
No opinion 11

 

The Gallup Poll. Aug. 16-19, 2001. N=1,013 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"Finally, as part of the tax cut that became law earlier this year, the federal government is sending checks for about $300 to $600 to most people who paid taxes this year. Do you think that the new tax cut law will be a good thing for the country, will not make much difference, or will be a bad thing for the country?"
8/16-19 7/19-22
% %
Good thing 36 40
Not much difference 44 39
Bad thing 17 18
No opinion 3 3

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"Just your opinion: Do you think the tax cut should have been bigger than it was, smaller than it was, or was it about right the way it was passed into law?"
%
Bigger 29
Smaller 17
About right 47
No opinion 7

 

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. July 26-30, 2001. N=1,352 adults nationwide. MoE ± 2.5. Field work by TNS Intersearch.

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"As you may know, Congress has approved a tax cut of nearly one-point-four trillion dollars over the next 10 years. In general, do you think this tax cut will be good for the economy, bad for the economy, or won't it make much difference?"
%
Good 37
Bad 20
Won't make much difference 42
No opinion 1

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"Do you think this tax cut will or will not leave enough money to keep the federal budget balanced and provide enough money for programs such as Social Security, education and health care?"
%
Will 45
Will not 52
No opinion 3

 

The Gallup Poll. April 6-8, 2001. N=1,025 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"All in all, which of the following best describes how you feel about doing your income taxes: you love it, you like it, you dislike it, or you hate it?"
4/01 4/00
% %
Love it 3 3
Like it 21 15
Dislike it 35 39
Hate it 31 32
None of these (vol.) 6 9
No opinion 4 2

 

CBS News Poll. April 4-5, 2001. N=660 adults nationwide. MoE ± 4 (total sample).

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ALL Repub-
licans		 Demo-
crats		 Indepen-
dents
% % % %
"Some lawmakers are saying there will be a budget surplus in the coming years. If that happens and you had to choose among the following things, how would you like the money to be used: 1. To cut income taxes; 2. To pay down the national debt; 3. To preserve programs like Medicare and Social Security; OR, 4. Something else?"
Cut income taxes 21 40 7 22
Pay down debt 14 12 15 13
Preserve Medicare/Social Security 47 30 65 44
Something else (vol.) 8 5 5 12
Combination (vol.) 8 11 8 6
Don't know 2 2 0 3

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"Given the way things are going right now, do you think a large tax cut would be good for the economy, bad for the economy, or wouldn't it make much difference one way or the other?"
Good for economy 38 62 24 35
Bad for economy 20 8 28 21
Wouldn't make much difference 37 28 41 38
Don't know 5 2 7 6

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"Do you favor or oppose George W. Bush's $1.6 trillion tax cut for the country over the next 10 years?"
Favor 51 78 31 51
Oppose 37 12 60 34
Don't know 12 10 9 15

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"Do you favor or oppose the tax cut proposed by the Democrats in Congress, which is smaller than George W. Bush's, but would take effect immediately?"
Favor 43 18 60 43
Oppose 37 63 25 32
Don't know 20 18 15 25

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"Who do you think is more likely to have a tax plan that is fair to people like you: George W. Bush or the Democrats in Congress?"
Bush 38 82 13 32
Democrats in Congress 45 10 79 38
Both (vol.) 1 0 0 3
Neither (vol.) 4 3 3 5
Don't know 12 5 5 22

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"Do you think it is possible or not possible to preserve programs like Social Security and Medicare, increase spending on education, AND implement the $1.6 trillion income tax cuts George W. Bush has proposed -- at the same time?"
Possible 44 67 25 44
Not possible 44 19 65 43
It depends (vol.) 2 5 2 1
Don't know 10 9 8 12

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"If Bush's proposed tax cut is adopted, do you think it will or will not make a significant difference in the amount of money you have after taxes?"
Will 36 45 28 36
Will not 58 51 69 55
Don't know 6 4 3 9

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"From what you've heard so far, who do you think would benefit most from George W. Bush's tax cut plan: rich people, poor people, or middle-income people?"
Rich people 55 26 81 52
Poor people 4 5 2 5
Middle-income people 26 48 11 25
Rich and middle (vol.) 1 1 2 0
Poor and middle (vol.) 1 1 1 1
Everybody (vol.) 7 13 1 8
No one (vol.) 1 0 0 1
Don't know 5 6 2 8

 

FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. March 28-29, 2001. N=905 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"Based on what you know about it, do you favor or oppose President Bush's proposal for a 1.6 trillion dollar tax cut over the next 10 years?"
Favor Oppose Not
Sure
% % %
3/28-29/01 55 33 12
3/14-15/01 55 32 13
2/7-8/01 54 29 17

 

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. March 22-25, 2001. N=903 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3. Field work by TNS Intersearch.

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"Which of these do you think should be the top priority for any surplus money in the federal budget: cut federal income taxes, put it toward reducing the national debt, strengthen the Social Security system, or increase spending on other domestic programs such as education or health care?"
3/01 2/01
% %
Education/Health care spending 37 35
Strengthen Social Security 24 25
Cut federal income taxes 20 22
Reduce the national debt 18 17
No opinion 1 1

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"As you may know, Bush has proposed cutting taxes by one-point-six trillion dollars over 10 years. Do you think this tax cut is too big, too small or about right?"
%
Too big 36
Too small 10
About right 48
No opinion 6

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"As you may know, the federal government is forecasting a budget surplus of five-point-six trillion dollars over the next 10 years. Just your best guess, do you think that budget surplus is a realistic expectation, or unrealistic?"
%
Realistic 26
Unrealistic 69
No opinion 5

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"Would you support or oppose a proposal to reduce the tax cut in future years if the federal budget surplus turns out to be lower than expected?"
%
Support 68
Oppose 28
No opinion 4

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"Do you think the tax cut Bush has proposed would benefit you personally, or not?" If "Yes": "Do you think it would benefit you a great deal, or only somewhat?"
%
Would -- a great deal 11
Would -- only somewhat 37
Would not 49
No opinion 2

 

CNN/Time Poll conducted by Yankelovich Partners. March 21-22, 2001. N=1,025 adults nationwide. MoE +/- 3.1.

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"Based on what you have heard or read, do you favor or oppose George W. Bush’s tax cut plan?"
3/01 2/01
% %
Favor 51 49
Oppose 40 36
Not sure 9 15

 

CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll. March 9-11, 2001. N=1,015 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"Thinking for a moment about taxes: As you may know, on Thursday, the House of Representatives passed a plan to cut federal income taxes that had been proposed by President Bush. Do you approve or disapprove of that vote?"
%
Approve 61
Disapprove 33
No opinion 6

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"Now, the Senate will consider the tax cut plan passed by the House. Do you think the Senate should pass the tax cut plan substantially as the House passed it; pass the tax cut plan, but only with major changes; or reject the tax cut?"
%
Pass as House passed it 41
Pass with major changes 35
Reject the tax cut 17
No opinion 7

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"Looking ahead to the debate on the tax bill in the U.S. Senate, would you favor or oppose each of the following changes to the tax cut plan passed by the House? How about . . . ?"
Favor Oppose No
Opinion
% % %
"Significantly lowering the total amount of the tax cuts"
59 36 5

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"Stopping the tax cuts if it looks like they will create a budget deficit in the future"
63 33 4

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"Adjusting the plan so that more of the tax cuts go to lower income taxpayers"
75 22 3

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"Do you think the federal government has enough money for education and Social Security, paying down the federal debt, as well as the tax cut which the House of Representatives passed on Thursday?"
%
Yes 51
No 43
No opinion 6

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Asked of Form A (N=530, MoE ± 5):
"If the tax cut plan is enacted, how likely is it that each of the following would happen: very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely, or not at all likely? How about . . . ?"
Very
Likely		 Some-
what
Likely		 Not
Too
Likely		 Not At
All
Likely		 No
Opinion
% % % % %
"It would cause a federal budget deficit"
23 33 23 16 5

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"It would take money away that is needed to protect Social Security"
33 23 21 19 4

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"It would mostly benefit the rich"
47 28 12 10 3

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Asked of Form B (N=485, MoE ± 5):
"If the tax cut plan is enacted, how likely is it that each of the following would happen: very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely, or not at all likely? How about . . . ?"
Very
Likely		 Some-
what
Likely		 Not
Too
Likely		 Not At
All
Likely		 No
Opinion
% % % % %
"It would provide you and your family money to spend and save"
28 34 19 18 1

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"It would provide others in the country money to spend and save"
31 42 14 11 2

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"It would help the economy"
29 39 17 11 4

 

The Los Angeles Times Poll. March 3-5, 2001. N=1,449 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"Do you think President Bush’s policies will make the country’s economy stronger over the next four years, or will they make the economy weaker, or will the economy remain about where it is today?"
%
Stronger 33
Weaker 22
Remain about where it is 33
Don't know 12

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"During the presidential campaign George W. Bush proposed using the budget surplus for an across-the-board tax cut of $1.6 trillion over the next 10 years for all taxpayers as part of his economic program, rather than a targeted tax cut for low- and middle-income families. Do you approve or disapprove of Bush’s tax cut proposal?"
%
Approve 52
Disapprove