[PEN-L:9751] Recent Polls on Taxing the Rich and Spending the Surplus

["Nathan Newman" <nathan.newman@xxxxxxxx>]

For just how disconnected the DC debate on tax cuts are from what the public
wants (and how sad the progressive movement is for not stirring up more
outrage), here are some recent poll numbers on taxes and spending.  What is
amazing is how deep the well of interest is in hitting the rich with more
taxes.  Only a tiny percentage of people think they are paying enough taxes.
---Nathan Newman
====

Gallup/CNN/USA Today Poll. Latest: April 6-7, 1999.
As I read off some different groups, please tell me if you think they are
paying their fair share in federal taxes, paying too much, or paying too
little? How about [see below]?"

                     Fair Share Too Much Too Little  No Opinion
 "Lower-income people"   34         51     11         4
 "Middle-income people"  35         59      4         2
 "Upper-income people"   19         10     66         5


[And on whether there should be a tax cut at all]

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of
Peter Hart (D) and Robert Teeter (R). Latest: July 24-26, 1999.

"There is general agreement in Washington that there will be a substantial
federal budget surplus over the next five to ten years. The Republicans and
Democrats in Congress have agreed to set aside about two-thirds of the money
for Social Security and Medicare. Which one of the following statements
better describes what you think should be done with the rest of the budget
surplus?
"Statement A: There are many unmet needs in the country that the federal
government should address, including education, health care, and national
defense, and most of the money should go toward meeting those needs.

"Statement B: The federal government already devotes enough money to meeting
the needs of the country, and most of the money should be returned to the
taxpayers in the form of tax cuts."

  %
 Unmet needs          55
 Tax cuts             34
 Some of both (vol.)   5
 Neither (vol.)        4
 Not sure              2