From Rasmussen Reports
To raise additional money for the government, just 18% of Americans nationwide favor a national sales tax. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 68% oppose such a tax.
There is more support for the concept if sales tax revenue is used to provide health insurance for all Americans. In that scenario, 40% favor a national sales tax and 49% are opposed.
Democrats strongly support a national sales tax to provide universal health insurance coverage. Republicans are opposed by a three-to-one margin, and those not affiliated with either major party are opposed two-to-one.
A plurality of Americans would support a national sales tax if it meant getting rid of the federal income tax: 43% favor that trade-off, but 38% are opposed. Pluralities of Republicans and unaffiliateds like the idea, while a plurality of Democrats are against it.
Forty-eight percent (48%) say a national sales tax is fairer than an income tax while 26% hold the opposite view. The sales tax is viewed as fairer by 52% of Republicans, 44% of Democrats and 49% of unaffiliateds.
According to recent news reports, some in Washington say adoption of a national sales tax on all goods and services would lead to a reduction in income tax rates. However, Americans are skeptical that the nation’s politicians would actually go through with such a trade-off.
Only 20% of Americans think it’s even somewhat likely that the government would actually cut income tax rates once the national sales tax was approved. Just eight percent (8%) say it’s Very Likely income tax rates would come down.
A Washington Post article this week said a national sales tax ranging from 10% to 25% is being discussed. In the Rasmussen Reports survey, no specific levels of taxation were mentioned. However, since the tax rate would be much higher than existing state sales taxes, it is likely that support for a national sales tax would decline as specific numbers became known.
An earlier survey found that 34% were generally willing to pay higher taxes to provide health insurance for all. But there was strong opposition to taxing health insurance benefits provided by companies. Fifty percent (50%) are willing to tax alcohol products to generate revenue for health care, but there is little support for a “sin-tax” on non-diet sodas.
Sixty-four percent (64%) of voters prefer a government that offers fewer services and has lower taxes. Seventy-seven percent (77%) say the bigger problem in the United States is the unwillingness of politicians to control government spending rather than Americans' unwillingness to pay higher taxes.
Sphere: Related Content
Showing posts with label Rasmussen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rasmussen. Show all posts
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Voters Divided As to Whether Obama Budget Will Help or Hurt Economy
Courtesy of Rasmussen Reports
Voters are evenly divided over whether President Obama’s proposed $3.6 trillion budget will help or hurt the economy.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 42% believe it will help the economy while 43% say it will hurt.
The data, combined with two earlier surveys tracking the topic, shows that opinion on both sides of the debate are fairly entrenched. The data also indicates that proposals for health care reform are likely to be the central front in the budgetary debate.
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates also available on Twitter.
Forty-percent (40%) of voters have a favorable opinion of the president’s budget while 46% have a unfavorable view. Those numbers have barely budged from surveys conducted in the first week of March and in mid-March. In all three surveys, the number with an unfavorable opinion of the budget has been at 45% or 46%. The number offering a positive review of the budget was a few points higher in mid-March.
The number who say Obama’s budget will help the economy has stayed between 42% and 44% in each survey. The number who believe it will hurt has increased a bit over the course of the month.
If one of the president’s priorities had to be scaled back to reduce the deficit, 34% would cut back on health care reform, 29% would cut development of new sources of energy, and 20% would cut his plans for education. However, there is a huge partisan gap on this point. For Democrats, health care reform is the last place they’d cut back. For Republicans and those not affiliated with either major party, health care is the first place they’d cut.
These results are consistent with earlier data showing that Democrats consider health care the top budget priority while Republicans and unaffiliateds place a higher value on deficit reduction. It’s a huge challenge since 63% agree with the president’s assertion that “we must make it a priority to give every single American quality affordable health care.”
Three-out-of-four voters (77%) remain concerned that Obama’s plan will generate too much government spending.
Two-thirds (66%) fear that the president will have to raise taxes on those earning less than $250,000 a year.
Obama continued to champion his budget in a prime-time press conference Tuesday night, but senior Senate Democrats are questioning the level of spending in it, especially in light of reports that its 10-year deficit projections may be off by as much as $2.3 trillion.
Americans consistently believe that tax cuts are good for the economy and that increased government spending tends to hurt the economy.
In the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday, 35% of voters Strongly Approve of Obama's job performance while 30% Strongly Disapprove. Sphere: Related Content
Voters are evenly divided over whether President Obama’s proposed $3.6 trillion budget will help or hurt the economy.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 42% believe it will help the economy while 43% say it will hurt.
The data, combined with two earlier surveys tracking the topic, shows that opinion on both sides of the debate are fairly entrenched. The data also indicates that proposals for health care reform are likely to be the central front in the budgetary debate.
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates also available on Twitter.
Forty-percent (40%) of voters have a favorable opinion of the president’s budget while 46% have a unfavorable view. Those numbers have barely budged from surveys conducted in the first week of March and in mid-March. In all three surveys, the number with an unfavorable opinion of the budget has been at 45% or 46%. The number offering a positive review of the budget was a few points higher in mid-March.
The number who say Obama’s budget will help the economy has stayed between 42% and 44% in each survey. The number who believe it will hurt has increased a bit over the course of the month.
If one of the president’s priorities had to be scaled back to reduce the deficit, 34% would cut back on health care reform, 29% would cut development of new sources of energy, and 20% would cut his plans for education. However, there is a huge partisan gap on this point. For Democrats, health care reform is the last place they’d cut back. For Republicans and those not affiliated with either major party, health care is the first place they’d cut.
These results are consistent with earlier data showing that Democrats consider health care the top budget priority while Republicans and unaffiliateds place a higher value on deficit reduction. It’s a huge challenge since 63% agree with the president’s assertion that “we must make it a priority to give every single American quality affordable health care.”
Three-out-of-four voters (77%) remain concerned that Obama’s plan will generate too much government spending.
Two-thirds (66%) fear that the president will have to raise taxes on those earning less than $250,000 a year.
Obama continued to champion his budget in a prime-time press conference Tuesday night, but senior Senate Democrats are questioning the level of spending in it, especially in light of reports that its 10-year deficit projections may be off by as much as $2.3 trillion.
Americans consistently believe that tax cuts are good for the economy and that increased government spending tends to hurt the economy.
In the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday, 35% of voters Strongly Approve of Obama's job performance while 30% Strongly Disapprove. Sphere: Related Content
Monday, February 23, 2009
Rasmussen: Consumer Confidence Falls To ALL TIME LOWS
The Rasmussen Consumer Index, which measures consumer confidence on a daily basis, fell two points on Monday to 55.5. That’s the lowest level of confidence ever recorded in the seven-year history of the Consumer Index, and the fourth time a new low has been set this month.
The Rasmussen Investor Index fell nearly four points on Monday to 56.9, also a record low. For the Investor Index, the previous low had been established in mid-December.
The drop for both has been fairly significant. The Consumer Index has fallen eight points over the past month and 39 points over the past year. The Investor Index has fallen nine points over the past month and 45 points over the past year.
One month ago today was the first Index update based entirely upon interviews completed while Barack Obama was President. Since that time, assessments of current economic conditions have changed little. However, expectations of future economic performance has fallen dramatically (among consumers, from 70.8 to 58.5).
Among all consumers, 8% say the economy is getting better while 70% say it is getting worse. One month ago, 11% said things were getting better and only 65% said worse.
Among investors, just 7% say things are getting better and 74% take the opposite view.
Investor confidence is low enough that 34% would put new investment money in a savings account. Just 30% would opt for a real estate investment and only 16% are eyeing the stock market.
The latest COUNTRY Financial Security Index (SM) reveals a steady six-month decline in Americans' financial security.
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).
The Rasmussen Consumer Index and Investor Index are derived from nightly telephone surveys of 500 adults and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. The baseline for the Index was established at 100.0 in October 2001. Readings above 100.0 indicate that confidence is higher than in the baseline month. Detailed supplemental information is available for Premium Members. Historical data for the Consumer and Investor indexes as well as attitudes about the economy and personal finances are also available to Premium Members.
The Rasmussen Consumer Index reached its highest level ever at 127.0 on January 6, 2004. The all-time low was reached on February 23, 2009 at 55.5.
The Rasmussen Investor Index reached its highest level ever at 150.9 on January 7, 2004. The lowest level ever measured was 56.9 on February 23, 2009.
The baseline for the Rasmussen Consumer Index was established at 100.0 in October 2001. At 55.5 the overall levels of economic confidence are significantly lower today than they were in the aftermath of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Sphere: Related Content
The Rasmussen Investor Index fell nearly four points on Monday to 56.9, also a record low. For the Investor Index, the previous low had been established in mid-December.
The drop for both has been fairly significant. The Consumer Index has fallen eight points over the past month and 39 points over the past year. The Investor Index has fallen nine points over the past month and 45 points over the past year.
One month ago today was the first Index update based entirely upon interviews completed while Barack Obama was President. Since that time, assessments of current economic conditions have changed little. However, expectations of future economic performance has fallen dramatically (among consumers, from 70.8 to 58.5).
Among all consumers, 8% say the economy is getting better while 70% say it is getting worse. One month ago, 11% said things were getting better and only 65% said worse.
Among investors, just 7% say things are getting better and 74% take the opposite view.
Investor confidence is low enough that 34% would put new investment money in a savings account. Just 30% would opt for a real estate investment and only 16% are eyeing the stock market.
The latest COUNTRY Financial Security Index (SM) reveals a steady six-month decline in Americans' financial security.
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).
The Rasmussen Consumer Index and Investor Index are derived from nightly telephone surveys of 500 adults and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. The baseline for the Index was established at 100.0 in October 2001. Readings above 100.0 indicate that confidence is higher than in the baseline month. Detailed supplemental information is available for Premium Members. Historical data for the Consumer and Investor indexes as well as attitudes about the economy and personal finances are also available to Premium Members.
The Rasmussen Consumer Index reached its highest level ever at 127.0 on January 6, 2004. The all-time low was reached on February 23, 2009 at 55.5.
The Rasmussen Investor Index reached its highest level ever at 150.9 on January 7, 2004. The lowest level ever measured was 56.9 on February 23, 2009.
The baseline for the Rasmussen Consumer Index was established at 100.0 in October 2001. At 55.5 the overall levels of economic confidence are significantly lower today than they were in the aftermath of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Sphere: Related Content
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Rasmussen: Consumer Confidence Falls for Fourth Straight Day
Information obtained from www.rasmussenreports.com
Consumer confidence bounced up early last week around the time of Barack Obama’s inauguration as President, but the bounce has faded.
The Rasmussen Consumer Index, which measures the economic confidence of consumers on a daily basis, fell for the fourth straight day on Sunday. At 60.2, the Index is down a point from yesterday and little changed from a week ago. Consumer confidence continues to hover just a few points above the all-time lows set in mid-December.
The Rasmussen Investor Index also fell on Sunday, dropping a point-and-a-half to 65.5. The Investor Index is up four points from a week ago.
Eight percent (8%) of consumers rate the U.S. economy as good or excellent, a view shared by 7% of investors. Sixty-four percent (64%) of both consumers and investors say that the economy is in poor shape.
A related survey found that 48% of Americans believe that America’s best days are still to come while 35% say they have come and gone.
Please sign up for the Rasmussen Reports daily e-mail update (it’s free)… let us keep you up to date with the latest public opinion news.
Full month data for December shows confidence setting a record all-time low for the seventh time in the last ten months. The Discover U.S. Spending Monitor also fell to a record low in December. One-third (34 percent) of consumers plan to spend less in January. This compares to 22 percent in November and just 24 percent from a year ago.
The Rasmussen Consumer Index and Investor Index are derived from nightly telephone surveys of 500 adults and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. The baseline for the Index was established at 100.0 in October 2001. Readings above 100.0 indicate that confidence is higher than in the baseline month. Detailed supplemental information is available for Premium Members. Historical data for the Consumer and Investor indexes as well as attitudes about the economy and personal finances are also available to Premium Members.
The Rasmussen Consumer Index reached its highest level ever at 127.0 on January 6, 2004. The all-time low was reached on December 17, 2008 at 56.8.
The Rasmussen Investor Index reached its highest level ever at 150.9 on January 7, 2004. The lowest level ever measured was 58.5 on December 16, 2008.
The baseline for the Rasmussen Consumer Index was established at 100.0 in October 2001. At 60.2, the overall levels of economic confidence are significantly lower today than they were in the aftermath of the 9-11 terrorist attacks.
Rasmussen Reports is an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information.
The Rasmussen Reports ElectionEdge™ Premium Service for Election 2008 offers the most comprehensive public opinion coverage ever provided for a Presidential election.
Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an independent pollster for more than a decade.
The current Index data is from a national telephone survey of 1,500 adults conducted by Rasmussen Reports over the past three nights. The margin of sampling error for each individual question in the survey is +/- 2.6 percentage points, with a 95% level of confidence. This survey is part of a larger series of data used to compile the Rasmussen Index on a daily basis. Sphere: Related Content
Consumer confidence bounced up early last week around the time of Barack Obama’s inauguration as President, but the bounce has faded.
The Rasmussen Consumer Index, which measures the economic confidence of consumers on a daily basis, fell for the fourth straight day on Sunday. At 60.2, the Index is down a point from yesterday and little changed from a week ago. Consumer confidence continues to hover just a few points above the all-time lows set in mid-December.
The Rasmussen Investor Index also fell on Sunday, dropping a point-and-a-half to 65.5. The Investor Index is up four points from a week ago.
Eight percent (8%) of consumers rate the U.S. economy as good or excellent, a view shared by 7% of investors. Sixty-four percent (64%) of both consumers and investors say that the economy is in poor shape.
A related survey found that 48% of Americans believe that America’s best days are still to come while 35% say they have come and gone.
Please sign up for the Rasmussen Reports daily e-mail update (it’s free)… let us keep you up to date with the latest public opinion news.
Full month data for December shows confidence setting a record all-time low for the seventh time in the last ten months. The Discover U.S. Spending Monitor also fell to a record low in December. One-third (34 percent) of consumers plan to spend less in January. This compares to 22 percent in November and just 24 percent from a year ago.
The Rasmussen Consumer Index and Investor Index are derived from nightly telephone surveys of 500 adults and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. The baseline for the Index was established at 100.0 in October 2001. Readings above 100.0 indicate that confidence is higher than in the baseline month. Detailed supplemental information is available for Premium Members. Historical data for the Consumer and Investor indexes as well as attitudes about the economy and personal finances are also available to Premium Members.
The Rasmussen Consumer Index reached its highest level ever at 127.0 on January 6, 2004. The all-time low was reached on December 17, 2008 at 56.8.
The Rasmussen Investor Index reached its highest level ever at 150.9 on January 7, 2004. The lowest level ever measured was 58.5 on December 16, 2008.
The baseline for the Rasmussen Consumer Index was established at 100.0 in October 2001. At 60.2, the overall levels of economic confidence are significantly lower today than they were in the aftermath of the 9-11 terrorist attacks.
Rasmussen Reports is an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information.
The Rasmussen Reports ElectionEdge™ Premium Service for Election 2008 offers the most comprehensive public opinion coverage ever provided for a Presidential election.
Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an independent pollster for more than a decade.
The current Index data is from a national telephone survey of 1,500 adults conducted by Rasmussen Reports over the past three nights. The margin of sampling error for each individual question in the survey is +/- 2.6 percentage points, with a 95% level of confidence. This survey is part of a larger series of data used to compile the Rasmussen Index on a daily basis. Sphere: Related Content
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