AEI Compiles Results of Taxpayer Polls
AEI Compiles Results of Taxpayer Polls
- Institutional AuthorsAmerican Enterprise Institute
- Subject Area/Tax Topics
- Jurisdictions
- LanguageEnglish
- Tax Analysts Document NumberDoc 2008-14365
- Tax Analysts Electronic Citation2008 TNT 126-73
Table of Contents
What the Data Show
Tax Issues
Tax Burden
Most Important Problem
Value For Your Money
Tax Fairness
Tax Fairness (And The Rich)
Progressivity
Taxes and Deficits
Tax Politics
Party Best Able to Handle Taxes
Presidential Candidates and Taxes, 1960-2008
Approval of the President's Job on Taxes: Trends
Bush Making Tax Cuts Permanent
Politicians' Credibility on Taxes
Taxes as a Voting Issue
Tax Changes
Estate Tax
Reforming the Tax System
Doing Your Taxes
Polling Issues in Surveys on Taxes
The most comprehensive collection of polls
ever compiled on the subject of taxes
What The Data Show:
** In seventy years of surveys there has been no instance when people said their federal income taxes were too low.
** At publication, Barack Obama leads John McCain in Gallup/ USA Today's June 2008 poll on who would do a better job on taxes, 44-35 percent.
** Every time Gallup has asked people whether their taxes will go up in the next year, large majorities have said they would.
** Majorities usually say what they pay in federal income taxes is fair. In Gallup's 2008 question, 60 percent gave that response.
**When the question is asked in a straightforward manner, people almost always say they favor a cut in federal income taxes.
**Voters in presidential contests who say taxes are the most important issue to them in casting their ballots (from 5 to 17 percent of the electorate in exit polls conducted from 1984-2004) vote for Republican presidential candidates by overwhelming margins. In the Los Angeles Times national exit poll from 2004, 9 percent said taxes were one of the issues that mattered most to them in casting their votes. They voted 61 to 38 percent for Bush over Kerry.
**On taxes, the GOP has a problem with being seen as the party favoring the rich. The Democrats have a problem as the party too willing to raise taxes.
** People aren't knowledgeable about progressivity. They like the idea of the rich paying a greater percentage of their income in taxes. A handful of questions asked in the 1990s shows that people think Americans should not pay more than 25 percent of their total income in taxes.
**The GOP may have an advantage on holding taxes down or keeping them down, but not on taxes in general. In many recent polls Democrats have the advantage in party-to-party comparisons.
**Although people say the deficit is important, it has little intensity as a political issue. People always say the deficit is a serious matter (but it is rarely the most serious issue). They rarely want their taxes raised to reduce the deficit. In the early 1980s and in polls today, people have been willing to postpone tax cuts that have not gone into effect.
** Most don't think they will benefit from reductions in the estate tax. Still, a substantial proportion wants this tax eliminated. In questions asked by CBS News/ New York Times pollsters after the estate tax threshold was raised to $3.5 million, around four in ten said the tax should be eliminated altogether. In a 2006 question by Harris Interactive for the Tax Foundation, people said the estate tax was the worst federal tax, ahead of the federal income tax.
** People would prefer a root canal to an IRS audit. The IRS's ratings have improved a little since 1997: a period of intense scrutiny for the agency.
**People seem to pay closer attention to the levels of state and local taxes than they do to the federal income tax. Although this document does not contain state level data, we reviewed a lot of it, as well as data on the actual outcome of tax initiatives. The Initiative and Referendum Institute (www.iandrinstitute.org) examined voter behavior on 130 tax initiatives between 1978 and 1999. They characterized eighty-six initiatives as anti-tax (designed to cut, abolish, or limit taxes) and twenty-seven initiatives as pro-tax (designed to raise or extend taxes). Forty-one of the eighty-six anti-tax initiatives passed (48 percent). Ten of the twenty-seven pro-tax ones did. The pass rate for the anti-measures has gone up recently. Forty-three percent of them passed between 1978 and 1989, and 53 percent passed between 1990 and 1999 (67 percent from 1996 to 1999). The polls we reviewed suggest that tax dissatisfaction at the state level, especially with the personal property tax, is rising again
TAX ISSUES
______________________________________________________________________
Surveys suggest that the local property tax is now seen as more onerous than the federal income tax. Thirty-six percent in February-March 2003 told Kaiser/NPR/Harvard that local property tax was the tax they disliked the most, followed by 29 percent who chose the income tax. Gallup shows a substantial jump since the late 1980s in the proportion of people mentioning the local property tax as the worst or least fair tax. In their April 2005 poll, 42 percent gave that response. Twenty percent said the federal income tax was the worst tax. Harris Interactive, in a 2006 poll for the Tax Foundation, asked about federal and state/local taxes separately. People thought the estate tax was the worst federal tax. The property tax was the worst state or local tax.
You pay a part of your income in taxes, either directly or as part of the cost of what you buy. Do you think that you and other taxpayers are paying too much, too little, or about the right amount for what the government provides out of tax money?
Given What Govt. Provides
Out Of Tax Money
-----Amount You Pay------
Too About Too
Much Right Little
Nov. 1938 Roper/Fortune 49 42 2
Do you consider the amount of federal income tax you have to pay as too high, about right, or too low?
----Amount of Fed. Income Taxes You Pay----
Too About Too
High Right Low
Mar. 1947 Gallup 54 40 0
Nov. 1947 Gallup 63 32 0
Mar. 1948 Gallup 57 38 1
Mar. 1949 Gallup 43 53 1
Feb. 1950 Gallup 57 40 0
Feb. 1951 Gallup 52 43 1
Feb. 1952 Gallup 71 26 *
Feb. 1953 Gallup 59 37 *
Feb. 1956 Gallup 55 35 1
Apr. 1957 Gallup 61 31 *
Mar. 1959 Gallup 51 40 2
Feb. 1961 Gallup 46 45 1
Feb. 1962 Gallup 48 45 0
Jun. 1962 Gallup 63 32 1
Jan. 1963 Gallup 52 38 1
Feb. 1964 Gallup 56 35 1
Feb. 1966 Gallup 52 39 0
Mar. 1967 Gallup 58 38 1
Mar. 1969 Gallup 69 25 *
Feb. 1973 Gallup 65 28 1
Feb. 1976 NORC 58 33 1
Feb. 1977 NORC 65 28 1
Feb. 1980 NORC 68 27 *
Feb. 1982 NORC 69 26 *
May. 1982 Gallup 60 32 *
Feb. 1984 NORC 63 33 1
Feb. 1985 NORC 60 32 *
Jun. 1985 Gallup 63 32 1
Feb. 1987 NORC 59 35 1
Feb. 1988 NORC 55 39 1
Feb. 1989 NORC 56 37 1
Feb. 1990 NORC 59 37 *
Mar. 1990 Gallup 63 31 2
Feb. 1991 NORC 55 39 1
Mar. 1991 Gallup 55 37 2
Mar. 1992 Gallup 56 39 2
Feb.-Apr. 1993 NORC 55 41 1
Mar. 1993 Gallup 55 41 2
Jan.-May. 1994 NORC 63 33 1
Apr. 1994 Gallup 56 42 *
Dec. 1994 Gallup 66 30 1
Feb.-May 1996 NORC 65 31 1
Apr. 1996 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 64 33 1
Mar. 1997 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 58 38 1
Feb.-Jun. 1998 NORC 63 31 1
Apr. 1998 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 66 31 1
Apr. 1999 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 65 29 2
Jul. 1999 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 60 37 *
Sep. 1999 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 68 28 1
Feb.-Jun. 2000 NORC 64 31 1
Apr. 2000 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 63 33 1
Apr. 2001 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 65 31 1
Feb.-Jun. 2002 NORC 59 37 1
Jan. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 47 50 1
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/
Harvard 51 43 3
Apr. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 50 46 2
Apr. 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 50 43 3
2004 NORC 61 38 1
Apr. 2005 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 51 44 2
Oct. 2005 The Hotline/
Diageo 43 48 3
Apr. 2006 Gallup 48 44 2
Apr. 2007 Gallup 53 41 2
Mar.-Apr. 2008 Gallup 52 42 2
NOTE: In April 2003, the Associated Press asked, "How do you feel
about the income taxes you currently pay? Do you think your taxes are
too high, too low, or about right" Fifty-one percent said "too high,"
43 percent said "about right," and 1 percent said "too low." In
December 2002, TIPP/Investor's Business Daily/Christian Science
Monitor asked, "Now moving on to the topic of taxes. When it comes to
your federal income tax, do you think that the amount you currently
pay is too little, too much, or just about right" Forty-nine percent
said "too much," 44 percent said "just about right," and 4 percent
said "too little." In December 2002, Fox News/Opinion Dynamics asked
registered voters, "Do you think too much of your paycheck goes to
taxes, too little goes to taxes, or do you think you pay the right
amount in taxes" Fifty-three percent said "too much," 36 percent said
the "right amount," and 2 percent said "too little."
Next, I'm going to read some aspects of life in America today. For each one, please say whether you are -- very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied. How about the amount Americans pay in federal taxes?
Very Somewhat Somewhat Very
satisfied satisfied dissatisfied dissatisfied
Jan. 2001 Gallup 4 22 35 36
Jan. 2002 Gallup 6 32 32 28
Jan. 2003 Gallup 5 28 31 32
Jan. 2004 Gallup 4 30 34 30
Jan. 2005 Gallup 6 32 31 29
Jan. 2006 Gallup 6 32 30 31
Jan. 2007 Gallup 7 33 28 29
Jan. 2008 Gallup 5 29 32 30
Do you consider the amount of federal income taxes that you have to pay as . . .?
Too High About Right Too Low
Mar.-Apr. 2005 Harris Interactive/Tax
Foundation 55 33 2
Mar. 2006 Harris Interactive/Tax
Foundation 59 30 1
Mar. 2007 Harris Interactive/Tax
Foundation 58 31 2
Now, we'd like to get your predictions for next year. Pleas say whether you think each of the following will or will not happen in 2007. How about Congress will increase federal income taxes?
Will happen Will not
Dec. 18-20, 2006 Gallup 62 37
Turning to taxes, do you consider the amount of federal income taxes that you pay now as too high, about right, or too low?
Too High About Right Too Low
Sept. 1-2, 2004 SRB/Time 49 45 3
And thinking about your personal situation, do you think the taxes you pay are too high, too low, or about right?
Too High About Right Too Low
Apr. 2004 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 51 44 1
Mar. 2005 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 54 40 3
As far as you and your family are concerned, do you feel you have reached the breaking point on the amount of taxes you pay or not?
------Amount of Taxes You Pay--------
Reached Not Reached
Breaking Point Breaking Point
Feb. 1970 Harris Interactive 60 29
Mar. 1971 Harris Interactive 64 25
Oct. 1971 Harris Interactive/Virginia Slims 58 32
Mar. 1977 Harris Interactive 66 26
Jun. 1978 Harris Interactive 66 30
Oct. 1993 Harris Interactive 67 28
Jun. 2003 Harris Interactive 52 41
As far as you and your family are concerned, do you feel you have reached the breaking point on the amount of federal taxes you pay or not?
------Amount of Federal Taxes You Pay--------
Reached Not Reached
Breaking Point Breaking Point
Jun. 2003 Harris Interactive 51 40
As far as you and your family are concerned, do you feel you have reached the breaking point on the amount of state or property taxes you pay or not?
-----Amount of State/Property Taxes You Pay--------
Reached Not Reached
Breaking Point Breaking Point
Jun. 2003 Harris Interactive 56 35
Thinking back over the past year, would say that each of the following has -- gone up a lot, gone up a little, remained about the same, gone down a little, or gone down a lot? How about . . .?
May 22-24, 2006 Gallup
Total gone Remain Total gone
up the same down
The price you pay for a gallon of
gasoline 96 1 *
The amount you pay for home
utilities such as
heating/electricity/water 78 15 2
The price you pay for food and other
groceries 72 25 1
The value of your home (asked of
home owners) 71 16 6
Your local property taxes 60 24 2
The amount of money you pay
out-of-pocket
for healthcare/Rx drugs 58 30 5
The amount you pay for health
insurance coverage 57 28 4
Your state taxes 41 39 2
Your federal income taxes 37 44 8
Your rent (asked of renters) 36 51 4
Your take home pay after taxes
and deductions 32 34 19
The amount of money you are able to
put away in savings each month 18 33 43
Are you very angry about the amount of federal income taxes you and your family paid last year, or fairly angry, or fairly satisfied, or very satisfied -- or don't you have any feeling one way or the other about the amount of federal income taxes you or your family paid last year?
----------Feelings About Federal Income Taxes --------
Very Fairly No Fairly Very
Angry Angry Feeling Satisfied Satisfied
Jan. 1985 LAT 6 21 23 40 7
Feb. 1986 LAT 11 23 19 38 5
NOTE: Asked of those who filed a federal income tax return last year.
Are you very angry about the amount of federal income taxes you or your family paid last year, or fairly angry, or fairly satisfied, or very satisfied?
---------Feelings About Federal Income Taxes --------
Very Fairly Fairly Very
Angry Angry Satisfied Satisfied
Apr. 1991 LAT 11 28 52 8
Apr. 1994 LAT 14 29 44 9
NOTE: Asked of those who filed a federal income tax return last year.
Which of the following taxes is the most unjust?
Jan. 1938 Roper/Fortune
Most Unjust
General sales tax 33
Tax on real estate 16
Taxes on gasoline 13
Social Security and
unemployment tax 11
Income taxes 8
Taxes on cigarettes 4
Tax on beer and liquor 2
Tax on such items as
jewelry, perfume, and
theaters 2
Which do you think is the worst tax -- that is, the least fair?
---------------Least Fair Tax-----------------
Federal State State Local
Income Income Sales Property
Mar. 1972 ORC 19 13 13 45
May 1973 ORC 30 10 20 31
Apr. 1974 ORC 30 10 20 28
May 1975 ORC 28 11 23 29
May 1977 ORC 28 11 17 33
May 1978 ORC 30 11 18 32
May 1979 ORC 37 8 15 27
May 1980 ORC 36 10 19 25
Sep. 1981 ORC 36 9 14 33
Jun. 1982 ORC 36 11 14 30
May 1983 Gallup/ACIR 35 11 13 26
May 1984 Gallup/ACIR 36 10 15 29
May 1985 Gallup/ACIR 38 10 16 24
May 1986 Gallup/ACIR 37 8 17 28
Jun. 1987 Gallup/ACIR 30 12 21 24
Jun. 1988 Gallup/ACIR 33 10 18 28
Jun. 1989 Gallup/ACIR 27 10 18 32
Jul. 1991 Gallup/ACIR 26 12 19 30
Jun. 1993 Gallup/ACIR 36 10 16 26
Now, let me ask you the same question again. This time I will add a tax to the list. Which tax do you think is the worst tax -- that is, the least fair?
------The Worst Tax, That Is Least Fair------
Federal Social State State Local
Income Security Income Sales Property
Jun. 1988 Gallup/ACIR 26 17 9 15 24
Jun. 1989 Gallup/ACIR 21 18 9 14 28
May 1990 Gallup/ACIR 26 15 10 12 28
Jun. 1992 Gallup/ACIR 25 10 9 16 25
Jun. 1994 Gallup/ACIR 27 12 7 14 28
Apr. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 21 11 11 13 38
Apr. 2005 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 20 10 7 17 42
NOTE: Possible answers were rotated in question asking.
What do you think is the worst tax -- that is the least fair -- federal income tax, federal Social Security tax, state income tax, state sales tax, or local property tax?
------------The Worst Tax, That Is Least Fair--------
Federal Social State State Local
Income Security Income Sales Property
Apr. 2005 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 20 12 14 14 35
NOTE: Possible answers read in order as seen above.
Some of the biggest taxes that individuals have to pay are income taxes, Social Security taxes, sales taxes, and property taxes. No one likes to pay taxes, but thinking about these four taxes, I'd like you to rank them, starting with the one you dislike the most. Again, the four kinds of taxes are income tax, Social Security tax, sales tax, and property tax. Which of these do you dislike the most? And of the ones that you haven't mentioned, which do you dislike most?
-----------------Most Disliked Tax ----------------
Federal Social State Local
Income Security Sales Property
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/
Harvard 29 9 23 36
Some taxes are paid to the federal government in Washington and some are paid to state and local governments. Of the following federal taxes, which do you think is the worst tax -- that is, the least fair?
------Least Fair Federal Tax------
Federal Federal Social Federal
Estate Income Security Corporate
Mar.-Apr. 2005 Harris
Interactive
/Tax Foundation 30 26 15 8
Mar. 2006 Harris
Interactive/
Tax Foundation 31 25 14 7
Of the following state and local taxes, which do you think is the worst tax -- that is, the least fair?
--------Least Fair State/Local Tax-----
Local State Sales State
Property Income Tax Corporate
Mar.-Apr. 2005 Harris
Interactive/Tax
Foundation 38 19 18 7
Mar. 2006 Harris
Interactive/Tax
Foundation 39 20 18 7
Which type of tax on this list would you say is most fair for you?
-------Most Fair Tax-------
Federal Social State State Local
Income Security Income Sales Property
Jun. 1978 CBS/NYT 13 24 17 19 10
As I read a series of statements, please tell me which you think is more likely to be true of [coming year]? A year when taxes will rise or a year when taxes will fall?
Taxes Will Taxes Will
Rise Fall
Dec. 1959 Gallup 76 10
Dec. 1965 Gallup 83 7
Dec. 1966 Gallup 91 4
Dec. 1967 Gallup 94 3
Dec. 1968 Gallup 78 12
Nov. 1977 Gallup 74 10
Dec. 1978 Gallup 63 25
Nov. 1979 Gallup 67 19
Jan. 1998 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 62 32
Dec. 1998 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 64 27
Under the Bush administration would you say your federal income taxes have gone up, gone down, or not really changed?
Taxes Taxes Taxes
Gone Up Gone Down Not Changed
Mar. 19-21, 2004 AP/Ipsos 22 26 48
In the last three years would you say your federal income taxes have gone up, gone down, or not really changed?
Taxes Taxes Taxes
Gone Up Gone Down Not Changed
Mar. 19-21, 2004 AP/Ipsos 25 28 43
Now, thinking about all kinds of federal, state and local taxes, in the last three years would you say the amount of taxes you pay overall has gone up, gone down, or not really changed?
Taxes Taxes Taxes
Gone Up Gone Down Not Changed
Mar. 19-21, 2004 AP/Ipsos 49 13 36
What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today? (Gallup)
What do you think are the two most important issues for the government to address? (Harris Interactive)
Gallup
Percentage Who Say Top Response
"Taxes" "Deficit"
Jul. 1983 * 5 Unemployment (48)
Jan. 1984 * 14 Unemployment (24)
Jun. 1984 * 11 Unemployment (25)
Jan. 1985 11 18 Fear of War (27)
May 1985 11 10 Fear of War (23)
Jan. 1986 8 11 Fear of War (30)
Jul. 1986 4 13 Unemployment (23)
Jan. 1987 2 10 Unemployment (16)
May 1987 * 12 Unemployment (13)
Sep. 1988 * 12 Deficit (12)
May 1989 * 7 Drug Abuse (27)
Jun 1989 * 6 Drug Abuse (27)
Apr. 1990 * 6 Drug Abuse (30)
Jul. 1990 1 21 Deficit (21)
Jan. 1991 2 4 Gulf Crisis (25)
Jul. 1991 2 6 Economy (16)
Mar. 1992 6 8 Economy (42)
May 1992 1 4 Economy (20)
Gallup Harris Interactive
Percentage Who Say Top Percentage Who Say Top
"Taxes" "Deficit" Response "Taxes" "Deficit" Response
Jan. 1993 1 10 Economy (29) 7 19 Health
Care (31)
Jun. 1993 13 24 Health
Care (29)
Sep. 1993 6 15 Health Care (28)
Jan. 1994 2 8 Crime (49)
Feb. 1994 6 8 Health
Care (45)
May 1994 5 10 Health
Care (42)
Jul. 1994 1 3 Crime (21)
Jan. 1995 3 12 Crime (19)
Feb. 1995 12 22 Health
Care (25)
Jun. 1995 10 18 Crime
(22)
Jul. 1995 2 7 Crime (15)
Jan. 1996 2 19 Deficit (19)
Apr. 1996 11 22 Deficit
(22)
Jul. 1996 5 8 Crime (16)
Jan. 1997 3 6 Crime (15) 12 15 Crime
(16)
Jun. 1997 11 19 Deficit
(19)
Aug. 1997 4 5 Crime (20)
Jan. 1998 16 12 Taxes
(16)
Apr. 1998 6 5 Crime (20) 17 8 Education
(20)
Sep. 1998 4 2 Morality (15)
Jan. 1999 4 2 Morality (13) 9 3 Impeach-
ment (30)
May 1999 3 1 Morality (18)
Jun. 1999 10 3 Education (17)
Jan. 2000 12 3 Education (20)
Mar. 2000 11 4 Education (16)
Jun. 2000 3 2 Morality (14) 14 3 Health
Care (18)
Jan. 2001 5 1 Morality (13)
Feb. 2001 23 4 Education
(30)
Jun. 2001 4 1 Education (12) 19 3 Education
(20)
Jan. 2002 2 * Terrorism (23) 9 1 Economy
(32)
Jun. 2002 1 1 Terrorism (33) 8 1 Terrorism
(31)
Jan. 2003 2 1 Fear of
War (31)
Feb. 2003 4 3 The war
(38)
Jun. 2003 2 3 Economy (30) 11 4 Economy
(25)
Jan. 2004 2 4 Economy (16)
Feb. 2004 3 5 Economy (21) 5 5 Economy
(31)
Mar. 2004 1 5 Economy (21)
Apr. 2004 2 2 War in Iraq (26)
May 2004 2 2 War in Iraq (26)
Jun. 2004 1 3 War in Iraq (27)
Jul. 2004 1 1 War in Iraq (26)
Aug. 2004 2 2 War in Iraq/Eco.
(21) 4 2 Economy
(32)
Sept. 2004 1 3 War in Iraq (23) 5 1 Economy
(30)
Oct. 2004 2 3 War in Iraq (23) 8 2 The war
(35)
Nov. 2004 2 4 War in Iraq (26)
Dec. 2004 2 3 War in Iraq (23)
Jan. 2005 2 3 War in Iraq (25)
Feb. 2005 2 5 War in Iraq (24) 5 10 Social
Security
(37)
Mar. 2005 2 3 War in Iraq (25)
Apr. 2005 1 3 War in Iraq (18) 6 6 Social
Security
(31)
May 2005 1 3 War in Iraq (21)
Jun. 2005 1 3 War in Iraq (22) 5 4 The war
(24)
Jul. 2005 1 1 War in Iraq (25)
Aug. 2005 1 2 War in Iraq (27) 5 2 The war
(41)
Sept. 2005 1 2 War in Iraq (16)
Oct. 2005 1 3 War in Iraq (21)
Nov. 2005 1 * War in Iraq (23) 9 7 The war
(34)
Dec. 2005 2 * War in Iraq (22) -- -- ---
Jan. 2006 1 * War in Iraq (23) 7 4 The war
(26)
Feb. 2006 1 1 War in Iraq (22) 6 2 The war
(27)
Mar. 2006 2 4 War in Iraq (20) 5 3 The war
(21)
Apr. 2006 1 3 War in Iraq (25) 5 3 The war
(23)
May 2006 2 3 War in Iraq (29) 5 -- The war
(28)
Jun. 2006 2 4 War in Iraq (27) 4 -- The war
(27)
Jul. 2006 1 1 War in Iraq (25) 4 -- The war
(32)
Aug. 2006 3 3 War in Iraq (26) 4 -- The war
(28)
Sep. 2006 1 2 War in Iraq (24) 4 -- The war
(22)
Oct. 2006 1 1 War in Iraq (28) 5 -- The war
(29)
Nov. 2006 3 2 War in Iraq (36) 5 -- The war
(33)
Dec. 2006 2 1 War in Iraq (29) -- --
Jan. 2007 1 2 War in Iraq (36) -- --
Feb. 2007 1 2 War in Iraq (38) 7 -- The war
(29)
Mar. 2007 1 2 War in Iraq (35) -- -- ---
Apr. 2007 2 2 War in Iraq (33) 5 -- The war
(30)
May 2007 * 2 War in Iraq (33) -- -- --
Jun. 2007 1 2 War in Iraq (34) -- -- --
Jul. 2007 1 1 War in Iraq (35) 1 1 The war
(27)
Aug. 2007 1 2 War in Iraq (32) -- -- --
Sep. 2007 1 2 War in Iraq (30) 3 3 The war
(29)
Oct. 2007 1 3 War in Iraq (33) 3 6 Health
care (25)
Nov. 2007 1 2 War in Iraq (24)
Dec. 2007 2 1 War in Iraq (29) 6 -- The war
(30)
Jan. 2008 2 2 War in Iraq (25) -- -- --
Feb. 2008 1 3 The economy (34) 6 5 The
economy
(41)
Mar. 2008 1 2 The economy (35) -- -- --
Apr. 2008 1 2 The economy (41) 4 2 The
economy
(47)
May 2008 1 2 The economy (35) -- -- --
Jun. 2008 1 1 The economy (36) 4 2 The
economy
(38)
NOTE: This is not a full chart of "most important problem" results.
Gallup began asking respondents to identify the nation's most
important problem in 1939. "Taxes" and "Deficit" were first coded as
separate responses in 1983.
What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today?
(Yearly compilations on most important problem provided by Gallup)
Year Top Response
1935 Unemployment
1936 Unemployment
1937 Unemployment
1938 Keeping out of war
1939 Keeping out of war
1940 Keeping out of war
1941 Keeping out of war, winning war
1942 Winning war
1943 Winning war
1944 Winning war
1945 Winning war
1946 High cost of living
1947 High cost of living, labor unrest
1948 Keeping peace
1949 Labor unrest
1950 Labor unrest
1951 Korean war
1952 Korean war
1953 Keeping peace
1954 Keeping peace
1955 Keeping peace
1956 Keeping peace
1957 Race relations, keeping peace
1958 Unemployment, keeping peace
1959 Keeping peace
1960 Keeping peace
1961 Keeping peace
1962 Keeping peace
1963 Keeping peace, race relations
1964 Vietnam, race relations
1965 Vietnam, race relations
1966 Vietnam
1967 Vietnam, high cost of living
1968 Vietnam
1969 Vietnam
1970 Vietnam
1971 Vietnam, high cost of living
1972 Vietnam
1973 High cost of living, Watergate
1974 High cost of living, Watergate, energy
1975 High cost of living, unemployment
1976 High cost of living, unemployment
1977 High cost of living, unemployment
1978 High cost of living, energy problems
1979 High cost of living, unemployment
1980 High cost of living, unemployment
1981 High cost of living, unemployment
1982 Unemployment, high cost of living
1983 Unemployment, high cost of living
1984 Fear of war, unemployment
1985 Unemployment, recession, fear of war
1986 Unemployment, fear of war
1987 Fear of war, unemployment
1988 Budget deficit, drug abuse
1989 Drugs, poverty and homelessness
1990 Budget deficit, drugs
1991 Economy
1992 Economy
1993 Economy, health care
1994 Crime
1995 Crime
1996 Crime, federal budget
1997 Crime
1998 Ethics/moral decline, crime
1999 Crime, ethics/moral decline
2000 Education, ethics/moral decline
2001 Economy, terrorism
2002 Terrorism, economy
2003 Economy
2004 Not Available
2005 War in Iraq
Do you think that people in government waste a lot of money we pay in taxes, waste some of it, or don't waste very much of it?
How Much Does Govt. Waste
-----------Of Money We Pay In Taxes------
A Lot Some Not Much
1958 U. of Mich. 43 42 10
1964 U. of Mich. 47 44 7
1968 U. of Mich. 59 34 4
1970 U. of Mich. 69 26 4
1972 U. of Mich. 66 30 2
1974 U. of Mich. 74 22 1
1976 U. of Mich. 74 20 3
1978 U. of Mich. 77 19 2
Jun. 1978 CBS/NYT 78 17 2
Sep. 1978 WP 73 23 2
1980 U. of Mich. 78 18 2
1982 U. of Mich. 66 29 2
Jun. 1983 NYT 69 26 3
Nov. 1983 NYT 74 21 2
1984 U. of Mich. 65 29 4
Nov. 1984 CBS/NYT 67 27 3
Feb. 1985 CBS/NYT 69 25 3
Dec. 1985 NYT 75 21 3
1988 U. of Mich. 63 33 2
Nov. 1988 CBS/NYT 71 24 3
1990 U. of Mich. 67 30 2
Oct. 1991 ABC/WP 75 23 2
1992 U. of Mich. 67 30 2
Oct. 1992 CBS/NYT 76 20 1
Jun. 1993 CBS/NYT 86 12 1
Sep. 1993 Gallup 86 12 1
1994 U. of Mich. 70 27 2
1996 U. of Mich. 60 38 1
1998 U. of Mich. 61 34 4
2000 U. of Mich. 59 38 3
Oct. 2001 CBS/NYT 52 43 4
2002 U. of Mich. 48 49 3
2004 U. of Mich. 61 37 2
Out of every dollar the federal government collects in taxes, how many cents do you think are wasted?
Of Every Dollar, How
----Many Cents Are Wasted?----
Mean Median
Nov. 1979 Gallup -- 40
Jan. 1981 Gallup -- 48
Mar. 1981 Gallup -- 40
May 1984 Gallup -- 45
Jul. 1985 ABC/WP 43 45
Feb. 1989 Gallup -- 50
May 1990 ABC/WP 46 50
Sep. 1990 ABC 44 50
Sep. 1990 WP 48 50
Oct. 1991 ABC/WP 49 41
Feb. 1993 ABC/WP 46 39
Aug. 1993 ABC/WP 47 40
Jan. 1995 ABC/WP 51 50
Nov. 1996 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 49 --
Jan. 1998 ABC 56 --
Apr. 2000 ABC 46 --
Apr. 2002 ABC 47 --
Apr. 2006 ABC News/Washington Post 51 --
How would you rate the value you personally get from the taxes you pay to the federal government . . . excellent, pretty good, only fair, or poor?
---------Value You Get From Taxes---------
Excellent Good Fair Poor
Value Value Value Value
Oct. 1993 Harris
Interactive/
Business Week 1 17 46 34
Mar.-Apr. Harris
2005 Interactive/
Tax Foundation 3 23 39 27
Mar. 2006 Harris
Interactive/ 2 24 40 25
Tax Foundation
Note: In 2005, the category "good" changed to "pretty good."
What bothers you more -- how much you pay in taxes or how your taxes are spent?
-----What Bothers You More?-----
How Taxes How Much
Are Spent You Pay
Dec. 2002 Fox News/Opinion
Dynamics 75 8
Mar. 2005 Fox News/Opinion
Dynamics 71 12
NOTE: Asked of registered voters.
Which of the following bothers you most about taxes: the large amount you pay in taxes, the complexity of the tax system, or the feeling that some wealthy people get away not paying their fair share?
--------------Bothers You Most-------------
Large Amount System's Wealthy Don't
You Pay Complexity Pay Fair Share
Mar. 1999* Fox News/Opinion
Dynamics 21 26 46
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/
Harvard 14 32 51
NOTE: * Asked of registered voters. Question wording was, "the
feeling that some rich people get away . . ."
Would you rather have more government services if it meant more taxes, less government services in order to reduce taxes, or services and taxes about as we have them now?
More Taxes/ Same Less Taxes/
More Services As Now Less Services
Dec. 1978* LAT 5 21 67
Apr. 1991 LAT 12 45 40
Mar. 1993 Gallup 20 35 40
NOTE: *Asked of registered voters.
Which of the following statements do you agree with more . . . I'd rather pay higher taxes to support a larger government that provides more services, or I'd rather pay lower taxes and have a smaller government that provides fewer services?
Higher Taxes/ Lower Taxes/
Bigger Govt. Smaller Govt.
Jun. 1997 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 31 58
Apr. 1998 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 30 58
Oct. 2000 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 32 52
May. 2003 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 34 50
Jan. 2004 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 38 45
Jan. 2006 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 34 52
NOTE: Asked of registered voters.
Other organizations that ask more detailed questions find that only a small number say that the federal income tax system is "quite fair" to people like them; at the other end of the spectrum, in most polls, 25 to 30 percent describe it as "quite unfair." In a 2003 poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation, NPR, and the Kennedy School at Harvard that did not ask people to think about "people like them," 4 percent described the federal tax system as very fair and 16 percent as not fair at all.
In polls, Democrats usually have the edge when it comes to fairness issues, including tax fairness.
Do you regard the income tax which you will have to pay this year as fair?
-----Income Tax Fair?-----
Yes No
Feb. 1943 Gallup 85 15
Feb. 1944 Gallup 90 10
Mar. 1944 Gallup 87 13
Mar. 1945 Gallup 85 15
Feb. 1946 Gallup 62 38
Nov. 1946 Gallup 60 34
Mar. 1997 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 51 43
Apr. 1999 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 45 49
Apr. 2001 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 51 46
Apr. 2002 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 58 37
Apr. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 64 33
Apr. 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 62 33
Apr. 2005 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 61 34
Apr. 2006 Gallup 60 34
Apr. 2007 Gallup 60 37
Mar.-Apr. 2008 Gallup 60 35
For each statement, please tell me if you completely agree with it, mostly agree with it, mostly disagree with it, or completely disagree with it. The tax system is unfair to people like me.
Completely Mostly Mostly Completely
Agree Agree Disagree Disagree
Aug. 2002 PSRA/Pew 24 29 34 9
Aug. 2003 PSRA/Pew 22 28 35 10
Dec. 2006-
Jan. 2007 PSRA/Pew 19 29 37 10
Last year 43.4 million Americans -- that's one third of all tax payers -- paid no federal income tax after deductions and credits. Thinking about your own tax burden, do you think this is fair, or do you feel everyone should be required to pay some minimum amount of tax to help fund the government?
Should be a This is
minimum amount fair Not sure
Mar.-Apr.
2005 Harris/Tax Foundation 59 21 20
Mar. 2006 Harris/Tax Foundation 63 21 16
Mar. 2007 Harris/Tax Foundation 61 24 15
Do you think the amount of taxes you pay is fair or unfair?
Very Somewhat Somewhat Very
fair fair unfair unfair
Apr. 2007 AP/Ipsos/AOL 16 37 20 25
When it comes to who pays what in taxes, do you think the federal income tax system is . . .?
Basically Basically
Fair Unfair
Mar-Apr. 2005 Blum & Weprin/NBC News 40 54
Do you think you pay more than your fair share, less than your fair share, or just about your fair share in federal income taxes?
More Than Less Than Just About
Fair Share Fair Share Your Fair Share
Apr. 2005 Blum &
Weprin/NBC News 35 2 61
How do you feel about the present federal income tax system -- do you feel it is quite fair to people like yourself, reasonably fair to people like yourself, somewhat unfair, or quite unfair to people like yourself?
-------Income Tax Fairness--------
Quite Fair/ Reasonably Fair/ Somewhat Unfair/ Quite
Unfair/
People Like Me People Like Me People Like Me People
Like Me
Apr. 1978 CBS/NYT 5 30 29 29
Apr. 1980 CBS/NYT 7 31 29 30
Apr. 1983 CBS/NYT 7 34 26 30
May 1988 CBS/NYT 7 32 27 27
Mar. 1992 CBS/NYT 6 33 31 28
Feb. 1995 CBS/NYT 6 40 29 22
Oct. 1996 CBS 5 35 30 28
Apr. 1997 CBS 8 36 26 27
Oct. 2000 CBS 6 38 27 24
We'd like to talk to you about the income tax system. How do you feel about the present federal income tax system -- do you feel it is quite fair to most people, or reasonably fair, or somewhat unfair, or quite unfair to most people?
Income Tax Fairness
Quite Reasonably Somewhat Quite
Fair/ Fair/ Unfair/ Unfair/
Most Most Most Most
People People People People
May 1977 Roper GfK-NOP 3 27 34 30
Apr. 1978 Roper GfK-NOP 4 25 34 33
May 1979 Roper GfK-NOP 4 28 36 29
Jan. 1985 Roper GfK-NOP 3 32 31 29
Apr. 1986 Roper GfK-NOP 3 33 38 23
Apr. 1988 Roper GfK-NOP 5 35 29 24
Aug. 1989 Roper GfK-NOP 5 27 32 30
Dec. 1990 Roper GfK-NOP 4 26 32 30
Mar. 1993 Roper GfK-NOP 4 32 33 22
Jul. 1996 Roper GfK-NOP 4 39 29 24
How fair do you think our present federal tax system is? Overall, would you say that our tax system is . . . very fair, moderately fair, not too fair, or not fair at all?
Federal Tax System Fairness
Very Moderately Not Too Not Fair
Fair Fair Fair At All
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard 4 47 32 16
Compared with other taxpayers, is it your impression that you pay more taxes than you probably should, or about the right amount, or that you pay less than you probably should?
Compared to Other Taxpayers
More Taxes Right Less Taxes
Than You Should Amount Than You Should
Jan. 1985 LAT 35 57 4
Do you feel you pay more than your fair share in federal income taxes, less than your fair share, or is the amount you pay about right?
More than Less than About Don't
fair share fair share right file
Apr. 1997 CBS News 49 2 47 1
Apr. 6-9, 2006 CBS News 34 1 58 4
Apr. 9-12, 2007 CBS News 37 1 55 5
We'd like to know about the federal taxes you or your family paid last year and whether you think everyone in the United States pays his or her fair share. Do you think our system of federal taxes is basically fair, or not? (If fair) Would you say it's essentially fair, or would you say it needs some improvement? (If not fair) Would you say it needs many improvements, or would you say it's essentially unfair and needs a fundamental overhaul?
Feelings About Tax System
Fair Fair/ Some Unfair/Many Unfair/Needs
Improvements Improvements Overhaul
Jan. 1985 LAT 12 27 16 40
Apr. 1991 LAT 12 28 18 40
When two families have the same income, do you think it is fair or unfair that one family pays less tax because they . . .?
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kasier/NPR/Harvard
Fair Unfair
Have more dependent children than the other family 76 23
Have more medical expenses than the other family 71 27
Give more to charity than the other family 62 36
Have a home mortgage, while the other family does not 55 41
Receive more of their income from investments than
the other family 42 52
Do you think you get more than your fair share of tax deductions and credits, less than your fair share, or about your fair share of tax deductions and credits?
Tax Deductions
More Than About Less Than
Fair Share Fair Share Fair Share
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard 4 57 35
Regardless of how you usually vote, do you think the Republican Party or the Democratic Party is more likely to make sure the tax system is fair?
More Likely To Make
Tax System Fair
Democratic Republican
Party Party
Aug. 1996 CBS/NYT 49 33
Aug. 1996 CBS 40 38
Aug. 1996 CBS/NYT 45 38
Aug. 1996 CBS 46 36
Sep. 1998 CBS/NYT 43 31
Nov. 1999 CBS/NYT 46 37
Jul. 2000 CBS/NYT 42 33
Jan. 2002 CBS/NYT 49 36
Oct. 2002 CBS/NYT 47 34
May 2003 CBS/NYT 46 36
May 2006 CBS/NYT 55 27
More say the rich pay too little in taxes than say middle-income families pay too much. In the April 2007 Gallup/USA Today poll, 44 percent said middle income people pay their fair share in taxes, 47 percent said they paid too much. Sixty-three percent said upper income people paid too little.
Now I want to read you some things some people have told us they have felt from time to time. Do you feel or not feel the rich get richer and the poor get poorer?
Rich Get Richer/Poor Get Poorer
Yes Yes
1972 Harris Interactive 67 1997 Harris Interactive 78
1977 Harris Interactive 77 1998 Harris Interactive 72
1985 Harris Interactive 79 1999 Harris Interactive 74
1990 Harris Interactive 82 2000 Harris Interactive 69
1991 Harris Interactive 83 2001 Harris Interactive 69
1992 Harris Interactive 83 2002 Harris Interactive 72
1993 Harris Interactive 81 2003 Harris Interactive 69
1994 Harris Interactive 78 2004 Harris Interactive 68
1995 Harris Interactive 79 2005 Harris Interactive 75
1996 Harris Interactive 76 2006 Harris Interactive 72
I want to read off to you a number of things some people have told us they have felt from time to time. Do you tend to feel . . . the tax laws are written to help the rich and not the average man, or not?
Tax Laws Tax Laws Do
Help Rich Not Help Rich
1972 Harris Interactive 68 25
1973 Harris Interactive 74 21
1974 Harris Interactive 75 19
1978 Harris Interactive 74 18
I'd like to know whether the following statement describes or does not describe the way you feel: the present tax system benefits the rich and is unfair to the ordinary working man or woman?
Tax System Tax System Does
Helps Rich Not Benefit Rich
Mar. 1983 Yankelovich/Time 75 20
Mar. 1995 Yankelovich/CNN/Time 74 21
Mar. 1997 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 69 26
For each one would you tell me whether you think they have to pay too much in taxes, or too little in taxes or about the right amount . . . High-income families?
High-Income Families Pay
Too Much About Too Little
In Taxes Right In Taxes
May 1977 Roper GfK-NOP 8 10 75
May 1978 Roper GfK-NOP 7 9 76
Jul. 1978 Roper GfK-NOP 8 9 76
May 1979 Roper GfK-NOP 8 9 75
Jan. 1985 Roper GfK-NOP 5 10 80
Apr. 1986 Roper GfK-NOP 7 10 77
Jan. 1992 Roper GfK-NOP 9 10 72
For each one would you tell me whether you think they have to pay too much in taxes, or too little in taxes or about the right amount . . . Middle-income families?
Middle Income Families Pay
Too Much About Too Little
In Taxes Right In Taxes
May 1977 Roper GfK-NOP 69 25 2
May 1978 Roper GfK-NOP 74 20 2
Jul. 1978 Roper GfK-NOP 77 17 2
May 1979 Roper GfK-NOP 72 22 2
Jan. 1985 Roper GfK-NOP 69 26 2
Apr. 1986 Roper GfK-NOP 62 29 4
Jan. 1992 Roper GfK-NOP 69 20 4
For each one would you tell me whether you think they have to pay too much in taxes, or too little in taxes or about the right amount . . . Low-income families?
Low-Income Families Pay
Too Much About Too Little
In Taxes Right In Taxes
May 1977 Roper GfK-NOP 54 32 5
May 1978 Roper GfK-NOP 47 37 4
Jul. 1978 Roper GfK-NOP 54 31 4
May 1979 Roper GfK-NOP 45 39 5
Jan. 1985 Roper GfK-NOP 57 34 4
Apr. 1986 Roper GfK-NOP 53 31 4
Jan. 1992 Roper GfK-NOP 54 30 5
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 . . . Upper-income people?
Upper-Income People Pay
Too Much Fair Too Little
In Taxes Share In Taxes
Mar. 1992 Gallup 4 16 77
Mar. 1993 Gallup 5 16 75
Apr. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 10 20 68
Apr. 1996 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 9 20 68
Apr. 1999 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 10 19 66
Apr. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 10 24 63
Apr. 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 9 24 63
Apr. 2005 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 7 22 68
Apr. 2006 Gallup/USA Today 8 21 67
Apr. 2007 Gallup 9 21 66
Apr. 2008 Gallup 9 24 63
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 . . . Middle-income people?
Middle-income People Pay
Too Much Fair Too Little
In Taxes Share In Taxes
Mar. 1992 Gallup 57 36 5
Mar. 1993 Gallup 54 39 5
Apr. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 57 39 3
Apr. 1996 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 58 34 5
Apr. 1999 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 59 35 4
Apr. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 40 51 7
Apr. 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 46 47 4
Apr. 2005 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 41 52 4
Apr. 2006 Gallup/USA Today 43 50 5
Apr. 2007 Gallup 47 44 7
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 . . . Lower-income people?
Lower-Income People Pay
Too Much Fair Too Little
In Taxes Share In Taxes
Mar. 1992 Gallup 57 32 8
Mar. 1993 Gallup 51 37 9
Apr. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 42 43 13
Apr. 1996 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 48 40 9
Apr. 1999 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 51 34 11
Apr. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 49 36 12
Apr. 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 49 35 12
Apr. 2005 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 51 36 10
Apr. 2006 Gallup/USA Today 46 36 12
Apr. 2007 Gallup 45 34 17
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 . . . Corporations?
Corporations
Too Much Fair Too Little
In Taxes Share In Taxes
Apr. 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 5 19 69
Apr. 2005 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 4 21 69
Apr. 2006 Gallup/USA Today 5 18 70
Apr. 2007 Gallup 5 19 71
Do you think that the income tax structure in your country correctly taxes those who earn the highest incomes?
Jul. 2007 Financial Times/Harris Interactive
No, they should No, they should
Yes be taxed more be taxed less Not sure
12 61 10 17
Do you think that the income tax structure in your country correctly taxes those who earn the lowest incomes?
Jul. 2007 Financial Times/Harris Interactive
No, they should No, they should
Yes be taxed more be taxed less Not sure
19 6 59 17
I'm going to read you a list of groups. Please tell me if you think they pay more than their fair share, less than their fair share, or about their fair share in federal taxes . . .?
Jun. 2003 Public Interests Project/Greenberg, Quinlan, Rosner (D)
High-Income Families Pay Middle-Income Families Pay
More Than About Less Than More Than About Less Than
Fair Share Fair Share Fair Share Fair Share Fair Share Fair Share
15 25 57 59 34 3
You & Your Family Pay
Low-Income Families Pay In Federal Taxes
More Than About Less Than More Than About Less Than
Fair Share Fair Share Fair Share Fair Share Fair Share Fair Share
36 40 20 45 48 3
Do you feel that President Reagan's economic policies such as his budget and tax cuts will be fair and equitable for people like you and your family, will be unfair and cause hardship to you, or will go too easy on you?
Reagan's Budget & Tax Cuts
Fair to You?
Fair Unfair Too Easy
Feb. 1981 Harris Interactive 70 25 1
May 1981 Harris Interactive 56 38 2
Jun. 1981 Harris Interactive 54 39 3
Aug. 1981 Harris Interactive 52 40 2
Do you feel that President Reagan's economic policies such as his budget and tax cuts will be fair and equitable for high-income people, will be unfair and cause hardship to them, or will go too easy on them?
Reagan's Budget & Tax Cuts
Fair to High-Income People?
Fair Unfair Too Easy
Feb. 1981 Harris Interactive 38 5 52
May 1981 Harris Interactive 32 5 55
Aug. 1981 Harris Interactive 38 6 50
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?
George W. Bush's Tax Cuts
Who Benefits?
Rich Middle Income Poor
Oct. 2000 CBS 53 26 3
Feb. 2001 CBS 57 25 3
Mar. 2001 CBS/NYT 58 24 5
Apr. 2001 CBS 55 26 4
Nov. 2002 CBS/NYT 57 26 4
Do you think the tax cuts first enacted by the Bush Administration mostly benefit the rich, most benefited the middle class, most benefited the poor, or did the tax cuts benefit all groups equally?
George W. Bush's Tax Cuts
Mostly Benefited
Rich Middle Income Poor Everyone Equally
Oct. 2004 CBS/NYT 60 8 2 24
From what you have heard so far, who do you think has benefited the most from the tax cuts -- rich people, poor people, or middle income people?
Bush's Tax Cuts
Who Benefits?
Rich Middle Income Poor
Nov. 2002 CBS/NYT 62 20 3
In your view, do you think President Bush's economic plan mostly helps the rich, mostly helps the middle class or mostly helps the poor?
Bush's Economic Plan
Who Benefits?
Rich Middle Class Poor
Jan. 2003 Zogby International 57 24 2
Generally speaking, who do you think has been helped more by the (Bush) tax cut: rich people, middle income people, or poor people?
Bush's Tax Cuts
Helped More
Rich Middle Class Poor
Jan. 2005 L.A. Times 58 25 5
Do you think Bush's proposals on cutting taxes favor the rich, favor the middle class, favor the poor, or treat all people about equally?
George W. Bush's Tax Cuts Favor
Rich Middle Poor All
Class Equally
Jan. 2003 ABC/WP 61 7 2 23
Feb. 2003 ABC/WP 56 10 2 26
Apr. 2003 ABC/WP 57 11 2 26
Should recent tax cuts be eliminated for people who earn more than $200,000 a year or should recent tax cuts remain in place for people who earn more than $200,000 a year?
Tax Cuts Eliminated Tax Cuts Kept For
For Incomes Over $200,000 Incomes Over $200,000
Mar. 19-21, 2004 AP/Ipsos 53 45
Do you think George Bush's policies favor the rich, favor the poor, favor the middle class, or are generally fair to all groups?
George H.W. Bush's Policies Favor
Rich Middle Poor All
Class Equally
Jan. 1992 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 63 6 * 27
Sep. 1992 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 61 6 1 27
Do you think George W. Bush's policies favor the rich, favor the middle class, favor the poor, or are generally fair to all groups?
George W. Bush's Policies Favor
Rich Middle Poor All
Class Equally
Jul. 2002 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 48 7 * 41
Jan. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 51 5 * 41
Oct. 2003* CBS News/NYT 60 10 1 26
Nov. 2003* CBS News 63 9 1 23
Jan. 2004* CBS News/NYT 57 11 1 25
Note: * Question worded as, "In general, do you think the policies of
the Bush Administration favor the rich, favor the middle class, favor
the poor, or do they treat all groups equally?"
In 1996, a Roper GfK-NOP survey asked Americans about a handful of words and phrases people in government and the media use to talk about the economy. Thirty-two percent thought they had a pretty good idea what the person was talking about when he used the words "progressive tax," 26 percent said they had some idea, and 34 percent said "not much of an idea." More than 70 percent said they had a pretty good idea of what the words "depression," and separately, "inflation" and "recession" meant. In the February-March 2003 Kaiser Family Foundation, NPR, Harvard poll, 56 percent said they had not heard the term "progressive taxes." Of the remainder, 21 percent said they had heard it and knew what it meant, and 22 percent had heard it but did not know what it meant.
We have not been able to find copies of the Blum and Kalven pilot studies, only their commentary about them (see The Uneasy Case for Progressive Taxation, University of Chicago Press, 4th edition, 1963, introduction). What we have here are some questions about government's role in redistributing wealth and a handful of questions asked over sixty years that explore Americans' ideas in this area. We include two questions asked over time by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago about what the government's role should be in reducing income differences between the rich and the poor. In 1952, in a Gallup question, people were divided about a law that would prohibit the government from taking more than a quarter of a person's earnings; in the mid-1990s, people seemed comfortable with a limit of around 25 percent for top earners. In the 2007 Harris Interactive/Tax Foundation poll, people said that 14.7 percent (mean response) was the maximum percentage people should have to pay in all taxes.
The President has stated that one-third of the population of the U.S. has less than a minimum of the necessities for a decent life. Do you agree with him?
Yes No
Oct. 1937 Roper/Fortune 71 17
Do you think the federal government should follow a policy of taking money from those who have much and giving money to those who have little?
Yes No
Oct. 1937 Roper/Fortune 54 41
Do you think that our government should or should not redistribute wealth by heavy taxes on the rich?
Redistribute Wealth By
Heavy Taxes on Rich?
Should Should Not
Jun. 1939 Roper/Fortune 35 54
Prosperous 17 76
Upper Middle Class 28 64
Lower Middle Class 34 57
Poor 46 40
Apr.-May 1998 Gallup 45 51
Apr. 2007 Gallup 49 47
NOTE: Fortune divided its sample into these four economic groups
based on its own criteria.
Some people think that the government in Washington ought to reduce the income differences between the rich and the poor, perhaps by raising the taxes of wealthy families or by giving income assistance to the poor. Here is a card with a scale from 1 to 7. Think of a score of 1 as meaning that the government ought to reduce the income differences between rich and poor, and a score of 7 meaning that the government should not concern itself with reducing income differences. What score between 1 and 7 comes closest to the way you feel?
Govt. Should Govt. Shouldn't
Reduce Income Reduce Income
Differences Differences
Points
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1973 NORC 36 12 10 11 6 7 15
1978 NORC 19 11 17 21 11 8 12
1980 NORC 17 9 16 20 12 7 16
1983 NORC 20 11 16 17 11 8 14
1984 NORC 21 12 15 17 13 8 12
1986 NORC 23 9 17 21 11 6 12
1987 NORC 19 9 17 21 13 6 14
1988 NORC 20 10 18 20 12 8 11
1989 NORC 18 13 19 20 11 7 10
1990 NORC 21 12 18 21 9 6 10
1991 NORC 20 12 17 20 12 7 9
1993 NORC 17 12 19 18 12 8 12
1994 NORC 14 9 16 21 15 8 15
1996 NORC 17 10 16 21 12 8 12
1998 NORC 15 10 17 21 11 8 16
2000 NORC 16 12 16 20 14 9 13
2004 NORC 20 8 18 19 13 8 14
2005 NORC 20 8 18 19 12 7 14
What is your opinion of the following statement? It is the responsibility of the government to reduce the differences in income between people with high incomes and those with low incomes?
Govt. Should Reduce Income Differences
Strongly Agree/ Neither Agree Disagree Strongly/
Agree Nor Disagree Disagree
1985 NORC 30 20 50
1990 NORC 33 27 39
1993 NORC 31 21 46
1994 NORC 27 18 51
1996 NORC 32 24 42
2000 NORC 33 25 40
Do you agree or disagree with the following: It is the responsibility of government to reduce the differences in income between high-income people and middle-income people? Is that strongly or somewhat agree/disagree?
Govt. Should Reduce Income Differences
Between People With High & Middle Incomes
Strongly Somewhat Somewhat Strongly
Agree Agree Disagree Disagree
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard 35 21 16 24
Do you agree or disagree with the following: It is the responsibility of government to reduce the differences in income between people with high incomes and people with low incomes? Is that strongly or somewhat agree/disagree?
Govt. Should Reduce Income Differences
Between People With High & Low Incomes
Strongly Somewhat Somewhat Strongly
Agree Agree Disagree Disagree
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard 27 22 18 29
Do you feel that the distribution of money and wealth in this country is fair, or do you feel that the money and wealth in this country should be more evenly distributed among a larger percentage of the people?
Wealth Distribution
Is Should Be More
Fair Evenly Distributed
Dec. 1984 Gallup 31 60
Apr. 1985 LA Times 28 61
Dec. 1987 Gallup 27 66
May 1990 Gallup 28 66
Apr. 1996 Gallup 33 62
May 1998 Gallup 31 63
Sep. 2000 Gallup 38 56
Oct. 2000* WP/Kaiser/Harvard 32 63
Jan. 2003 Gallup 31 63
NOTE: * Asked of registered voters.
For the past 68 years, the federal income tax has been based on the principle that higher-income people not only have to pay more in taxes but must pay a greater percentage of their income in taxes. Do you feel that principle is fair and equitable or not?
Tax Progressivity
Fair Not Fair
Principle Principle
Aug. 1981 Harris Interactive 58 38
Generally speaking, how does the federal income tax system work? Are people with higher incomes taxed at a higher percentage of their income than people who make less money? Or does everyone pay the same percentage of their income in income taxes? Or don't you know enough to say?
High-Income People Pay
Higher Same Don't
Percentage Percentage Know
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard 60 11 28
Which comes closest to your view?
Apr. 2005 AP/Ipsos
People should pay the same rate of tax on their
incomes, regardless of how much money they make 40
People who earn more money should pay a higher
tax rate on their incomes than people who earn less 57
People in government and the media use a lot of words and phrases when they talk about the economy. I'm going to read you some of them. For each one, would you tell me when you hear that word or phrase used, whether you have a pretty good idea of what the person is talking about, some idea, or not much of an idea of what that person is talking about?
Mar.-Apr. 1996 Roper GfK-NOP
Know Words & Phrases
Good Some Not Much
Idea Idea Of An Idea
Depression 76 19 4
Inflation 76 18 5
Recession 72 21 5
Depreciation 55 26 15
Downsizing 55 23 16
Flat tax 46 28 22
Federal Reserve Bank 42 31 24
Deregulation 41 30 23
Balance of payments 40 30 25
Capital gains tax 39 27 28
Investment capital 38 32 24
Progressive tax 32 26 34
Tight monetary policies 26 27 37
Supply-side economics 22 23 43
Sustainable development 15 21 48
And now I want to read a brief list of terms that are related to taxes and the federal tax system. For each, please tell me if you have heard the term and know what it means, have heard the term but don't know what it means, or have not heard the term.
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard
Heard Term/ Heard Term/ Have Not
Knows What Don't Know Heard Term
It Means What It Means
Payroll taxes 74 17 9
Earned income tax credit 61 28 11
Progressive taxes 21 23 56
Value Added Tax 20 20 59
In the United States, which group do you think pays the highest percentage of their income in total federal taxes: high-income people, middle-income people, or lower-income people, or don't you know enough to say? (Asked of half sample)
Highest Percentage, Total Federal Taxes
High-Income Middle-Income Lower-Income
People People People
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard 24 52 11
In the United States, which group do you think pays the highest percentage of their income in federal income taxes: high-income people, middle-income people, or lower-income people, or don't you know enough to say? (Asked of half sample)
Highest Percentage, Federal Income Taxes
High-Income Middle-Income Lower-Income
People People People
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard 26 51 11
How much do you think this family of four, with a total income of $100,000 a year -- that is $2,000 a week -- should pay in personal income tax next year?
Family of Four, Income of $100,000,
How Much In Taxes Should They Pay?
Avg. Percent
Mar. 1941 Gallup 10
Many wealthy persons in the U.S. now pay as high as 90 percent of their income in Federal income taxes. Would you favor or oppose Congress passing a law so the Federal government could not take more than 25 percent, or one-fourth, of any person's income in taxes except in war-time?
Law Setting Maximum
Rate of 25%
Favor Oppose
May 1952 Gallup 47 45
I'd like to ask you some general questions about the amount of taxes people pay each year, and what would be fair. By taxes I mean not just federal income taxes, but all the taxes you pay to the federal, state, and local governments, including Social Security taxes, state income and sales taxes, and local property taxes. What's the highest amount, the highest percentage, of your income that you think would be fair to pay in all these taxes combined? Just your best guess is fine.
What You Should Pay in All Taxes
Mean Median
Oct. 1995 Roper Center/Reader's Digest 19 19
I'd like to ask you some general questions about the amount of taxes people pay each year, and what would be fair. By taxes I mean not just federal income taxes, but all the taxes you pay to the federal, state, and local governments, including Social Security taxes, state income and sales taxes, and local property taxes. What's the highest percentage you think would be fair for a family of four making $25,000 a year to pay when you add their taxes together? Just your best guess is fine.
Family of Four Making $25,000
Should Pay In All Taxes
Mean Median
Oct. 1995 Roper Center/Reader's Digest 13 10
I'd like to ask you some general questions about the amount of taxes people pay each year, and what would be fair. By taxes I mean not just federal income taxes, but all the taxes you pay to the federal, state, and local governments, including Social Security taxes, state income and sales taxes, and local property taxes. What's the highest percentage you think would be fair for a family of four making $50,000 a year to pay when you add their taxes together? Just your best guess is fine.
Family of Four Making $50,000
Should Pay In All Taxes
Mean Median
Oct. 1995 Roper Center/Reader's Digest 18 17
I'd like to ask you some general questions about the amount of taxes people pay each year, and what would be fair. By taxes I mean not just federal income taxes, but all the taxes you pay to the federal, state, and local governments, including Social Security taxes, state income and sales taxes, and local property taxes. What's the highest percentage you think would be fair for a family making $100,000 a year to pay when you add their taxes together? Just your best guess is fine.
Family Making $100,000
Should Pay In All Taxes
Mean Median
Oct. 1995 Roper Center/Reader's Digest 23 20
I'd like to ask you some general questions about the amount of taxes people pay each year, and what would be fair. By taxes I mean not just federal income taxes, but all the taxes you pay to the federal, state, and local governments, including Social Security taxes, state income and sales taxes, and local property taxes. Let's talk now about a family of four -- a husband, wife, and two children -- that makes a high income. What's the highest amount, highest percentage you think would be fair for any family of four to pay in all their taxes combined, no matter how high their income? Just your best guess is fine.
Family of Four with High Income
Should Pay In All Taxes
Mean Median
Oct. 1995 Roper Center/Reader's Digest 23 20
I'd like to ask you some general questions about the amount of taxes people pay each year, and what would be fair. By taxes I mean not just federal income taxes, but all the taxes you pay to the federal, state, and local governments, including Social Security taxes, state income and sales taxes, and local property taxes. What's the highest percentage you think would be fair for a family making $200,000 a year to pay when you add their taxes together? Just your best guess is fine.
Family of Four Making $200,000
Should Pay In All Taxes
Mean Median
Oct. 1995 Roper Center/Reader's Digest 27 25
What is the maximum percentage of a person's income that should go to taxes -- that's all taxes, state, federal, and local? Out of every dollar, what's the highest percentage anybody should have to pay?
Maximum In All Taxes
Mean Median
Mar. 1999 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 15 10
Mar. 2001 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 17 10
Jan. 2003 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 17 10
What is the maximum percentage of a person's income that should go to taxes -- that is, all taxes, state, federal, and local?
Mean
Mar.-Apr. 2005 Harris Interactive/Tax Foundation 16
Mar. 2006 Harris Interactive/Tax Foundation 15
Mar. 2007 Harris Interactive/Tax Foundation 14.7
Out of every dollar, what's the highest percentage anybody should have to pay in taxes?
Mar.-Apr. 2005 Harris Interactive/Tax Foundation
Mean 16
In realty, what percentage of income do you think the typical American actually pays in taxes -- that is, all taxes, state, federal and local?
Mar.-Apr. 2005 Harris Interactive/Tax Foundation
Mean 29
We reviewed more than 1,000 questions about taxes and the deficit from three periods -- the late 1940s, the early 1980s, and the 1990s on. Questions asked by Roper/Fortune in 1946 show that people thought that balancing the budget should be a higher priority than cutting taxes. But other questions in the series showed that people felt that seeing to it that our military forces were kept at the present strength was more important and also that sending food aid to needy countries was also more important than balancing the budget.
In the early 1980s, people said the deficit was a serious matter (but never the most serious). They always said it would be necessary to raise their taxes to reduce it substantially, but they did not want their taxes increased. They strongly preferred cutting government spending except when reminded of programs they liked. In 1982, Americans were willing to postpone the tax cuts that had been enacted. Reagan had negative ratings on handling the deficit at that time, but in 1984 people preferred him to Walter Mondale to deal with it.
Public opinion about the deficit today is similar to what it was in the early 1980s. The deficit has little intensity politically, though Americans say it is serious. Americans are opposed to raising their taxes to reduce the deficit, though, once again, depending on how questions are worded, they appear to support postponing tax cuts not yet enacted. They don't want their already enacted tax cuts taken away.
Do you think it is necessary to increase taxes to reduce the budget deficit?
Should not increase Should
Mar. 2007 Harris Interactive 71 15
This year the U.S. budget deficit will be $244 billion or $1,789 per individual tax return. Some people say it is important to balance the budget. Thinking about your own situation, would you be willing to pay an additional $1,789 in federal taxes to eliminate the deficit and balance the budget?
Yes No
Mar. 2007 Harris/Tax Foundation 10 76
-- (If willing to pay) If you paid the extra $1,789 in
additional taxes, how do you believe today's Congress would use
it?
Deficit & Increase
Pay off deficit increase spending spending
Mar. 2007 Harris/Tax Foundation 20 28 50
This year the U.S. budget deficit will be $340 billion or $2,470 per individual tax return. Some people say it is important to balance the budget. Thinking about your own situation, would you be willing to pay an additional $2,470 in federal taxes to eliminate the deficit and balance the budget?
Yes No
Mar. 2006 Harris/Tax Foundation 9 79
If you paid that extra $2,470 in additional taxes, which one of the following do you believe today's Congress would do: mostly increase spending and not pay off the deficit, pay off part of the deficit and increase spending with the rest, pay off the entire deficit?
---------Today's Congress Would---------
Increase Pay off part Pay off debt
spending and increase spending entirely
Mar. 2006 Harris/Tax Foundation 63 20 17
There have been all sorts of ideas suggested for things we should do in this country after the war, and we'd like to know how you feel about some of them . . . Taking them one at a time, do you think it is a good idea or not such a good idea to . . . reduce taxes on personal income?
-----Reduce Taxes-----
Good Not Good
Idea Idea
May 1945 Roper/Fortune 66 23
Do you think that personal income taxes for the coming year should be reduced greatly, reduced a little, or left about as they are?
--------Taxes Should Be--------
Reduced Reduced Left
Greatly A Little As Are
Dec. 1946 Roper/Fortune 20 46 27
Dec. 1947 Roper/Fortune 30 41 21
Apr. 1948 Roper/Fortune 24 43 28
Are you in favor of a cut in federal income taxes or not?
-----Income Tax Cut------
Favor Oppose
Sep. 1963* Gallup 61 24
Nov. 1963* Gallup 64 23
Jan. 1977 Gallup 79 12
Aug. 1979 Gallup 74 18
Dec. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 80 17
May 1996+ Gallup/CNN/USA Today 70 25
Mar. 1999 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 72 25
Sep. 2000 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 74 23
NOTE: *Question wording was, "How do you, yourself, feel? Do you
favor or oppose a cut in income taxes now?" +Question wording was,
"Would you generally favor or oppose a proposal to cut federal income
taxes?"
Next we'd like to ask you whether you agree or disagree with a statement about taxes. If you do not have an opinion about the statement feel free to say so. "The government ought to cut taxes even if it means putting off some important things that need to be done?"
Cut Taxes Even If
----Other Things Get Put Off----
Agree Disagree
Jan. 1979 Gallup 62 12
Aug. 1999 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 21 59
1940s
Which of these statements comes closest to describing your feelings -- the federal budget should be balanced immediately at all costs, the government should make whatever changes are necessary in spending and taxation to bring the budget into balance within a few years, or we should continue with an unbalanced budget until real recovery has set in?
------Balanced Budget------
Balance Balance in Wait Until
Immediately Few Years Recovery
Jan. 1940 Roper/Fortune 9 48 17
If we can't do both at the same time, which do you think we should do first: reduce taxes or balance the national budget?
------Should Do First--------
Balance Cut
Budget Taxes
Dec. 1946 Roper/Fortune 55 34
If we can't do both at the same time, which do you think we should do first: continue making loans to foreign nations or balance the national budget?
------Should Do First--------
Balance Make
Budget Loans
Dec. 1946 Roper/Fortune 72 14
If we can't do both at the same time, which do you think we should do first: see that our military forces are kept at about their present strength or balance the national budget?
---------Should Do First---------
Balance Keep Military
Budget Strength
Dec. 1946 Roper/Fortune 17 73
If we can't do both at the same time, which do you think we should do first: continue to send food to needy countries or balance the national budget?
------Should Do First--------
Balance Send
Budget Food
Dec. 1946 Roper/Fortune 32 58
1980s
Do you think that federal budget deficits are a very serious problem, somewhat serious, or not very serious problem?
---------Deficits Are---------
Very Somewhat Not
Serious Serious Serious
Feb. 1984 Penn/Schoen (Dem.) 63 30 4
Jun. 1984 Penn/Schoen (Dem.) 59 31 6
Oct. 1984 Penn/Schoen (Dem.) 59 33 6
Dec. 1984 Penn/Schoen (Dem.) 64 28 5
It has been estimated that the federal deficit for next year will be more than $100 billion. Would you approve or disapprove if your taxes were increased to help offset this deficit?
To Reduce Deficits
-------Increase Taxes-------
Approve Disapprove
Aug. 1982 Gallup 25 65
The country's deficits for this year and 1983 are forecast to be greater than ever before. Do you think President Reagan should stick to his promise to provide an income tax cut this year as he did last year, or keep income taxes at their present levels for another year, or should he increase taxes to reduce the deficit?
---------What Should Reagan Do?----------
Another Keep Taxes Increase
Tax Cut As Are Taxes
Mar. 1982 Time/Yankelovich 31 53 10
To help reduce the federal budget deficits in the next few years, the Reagan administration and Congress have been trying to develop a compromise economic plan they can all support. Here is a list of some actions that have been proposed as ways of reducing these budget deficits for the next few years. Please tell me whether you favor or oppose each of them . . . Postpone for 1 year or more the 10 percent cut in federal income taxes that is to go into effect on July 1, 1983?
To Reduce Deficits
-----Postpone Tax Cuts-----
Favor Oppose
Oct. 1982 Cambridge Reports 45 42
There was a major cut in Federal income taxes passed last year, and it is being phased in over a three-year period. Would you be willing to postpone this tax cut in order to reduce the Federal deficit?
To Reduce Deficits
------Postpone Tax Cuts-------
Willing Not Willing
Mar. 1982 Gallup/Newsweek 70 22
Financial experts say the government now has the largest federal budget deficit in history. Do you think the government should increase taxes to reduce the budget deficit, or not?
------To Reduce Deficit-------
Increase Don't Increase
Taxes Taxes
Feb. 1982* ABC/WP 21 72
Jan. 1983 ABC/WP 29 66
Jan. 1984 ABC/WP 24 70
Sep. 1984 ABC/WP 36 61
Oct. 1984* ABC/WP 29 64
Jan. 1985 ABC/WP 18 79
Mar. 1985 ABC/WP 22 76
May 1985 ABC/WP 24 72
Jun. 1985 ABC/WP 22 75
Jul. 1985 ABC/WP 24 72
Feb. 1986 ABC/WP 30 68
Jan. 1987 ABC/WP 26 72
NOTE: *Question wording was, "Do you think the government should
increase taxes to reduce the budget deficit, or not?"
Some people say that the best way to reduce the federal deficit is cut back on government spending. Others say that the way to do it is to increase taxes. Which solution would you favor -- cutting government spending or increasing taxes?
------To Reduce Deficit------
Cut Increase
Spending Taxes
Feb. 1984 CBS/NYT 82 8
Feb. 1985 CBS/NYT 81 9
Nov. 1985 CBS/NYT 83 7
1990s-Present
Which do you think is the more important priority for the country today -- reducing taxes or reducing the budget deficit?
-------More Important--------
Reduce Reduce
Deficit Taxes
Dec. 1994 NBC/WSJ 58 35
Jan. 1995 NBC/WSJ 65 28
If you had to choose, would you prefer reducing the federal budget deficit or cutting taxes?
--------Prefer To----------
Reduce Cut
Deficit Taxes
Apr. 1995 CBS/NYT 56 40
Jun. 1996 CBS/NYT 50 45
Aug. 1996 CBS/NYT 51 43
Aug. 1996 CBS 55 39
Aug. 1996 CBS/NYT 55 41
Sep. 1996 CBS/NYT 57 34
Sep. 1996 CBS 53 40
Oct. 1996 CBS 55 40
Oct. 1996 CBS/NYT 51 43
Oct. 1996 CBS 55 41
Nov. 2002 CBS/NYT 45 44
Jan. 2003 CBS/NYT 48 44
Jul. 2003 CBS/NYT 50 46
Which do you think should be the higher priority right now -- cutting taxes or reducing the federal budget deficit?
-------Highest Priority-------
Reduce Cut
Deficit Taxes
Nov. 2004 CBS/NYT 67 28
Thinking about the trade-offs the government must make when creating a federal budget, would you rather see the government give a higher priority to reducing the federal budget deficit or cutting federal income taxes?
-----Greater Priority------
Reduce Cut
Deficit Taxes
Jan. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 48 42
May 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 51 44
Which do you think should be a greater priority for the President and Congress this year -- stimulating the economy or controlling the federal budget deficit?
-----Greater Priority-----
Stimulating Controlling
Economy Deficit
Dec. 2002 NBC/WSJ 56 24
Jan. 2003 NBC/WSJ 67 29
Apr. 2003 NBC/WSJ 72 22
Jul. 2003 NBC/WSJ 60 35
Sep. 2003 NBC/WSJ 61 33
What's more important to you -- balancing the federal budget, or cutting taxes?
-------More Important--------
Balanced Cutting
Budget Taxes
Aug. 1996 ABC/WP 58 39
Apr. 1997 ABC/Money 50 45
Dec. 2002 ABC/WP 56 41
What's more important to you -- lowering your taxes, or keeping down the federal deficit?
-------More Important--------
Keep Deficit Cutting
Down Taxes
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard 53 41
What's more important to you -- lowering your taxes, or maintaining spending levels on domestic programs such as education, health care, and Social Security?
-------More Important--------
Domestic Cutting
Programs Taxes
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard 80 18
As you may know, President Bush has proposed large increases in the budget for military defense and homeland security. Which one of the following do you think is the best way to pay for these increases, if they are to happen . . . add to the budget deficit, reduce spending on domestic programs, or postpone or reduce last year's tax cuts?
How To Pay for Defense/
----Homeland Security Increases-----
Add To Cut Domestic Postpone/Reduce
Deficit Spending Tax Cuts
Feb. 2002 PSRA/Pew 24 22 42
Feb. 2003* PSRA/Pew 23 21 40
Aug. 2003+ PSRA/Pew 15 23 41
Sept. 2003+ PSRA/Pew 19 18 41
Sept. 2004 PSRA/Pew 11 19 47
Jan. 2005 PSRA/Pew 16 20 42
NOTE: *Asked of half sample. +Question wording began, "Over the past
year, the budget for military defense and homeland security has been
increasing. Which one of the following . . .?"
As you may know, President Bush has proposed large increases in the budget for military defense and homeland security. Which one of the following do you think is the best way to pay for these increases, if they are to happen . . . add to the budget deficit, reduce spending on domestic programs, or increase taxes?
How To Pay for Defense/
----Homeland Security Increases----
Add To Cut Domestic Increase
Deficit Spending Taxes
Feb. 2003 PSRA/Pew 31 28 23
NOTE: Asked of half sample.
Which of the following do you think is the principal cause of our current budget deficit -- the government's inability to control its spending, the president's tax cut, or the war?
------------Cause of Deficit-----------
Govt. Tax The
Spending Cut War
Mar. 2003 Andres McKenna 64 14 14
As you may know, Bush has proposed a $726 billion tax cut over the next 10 years. The Senate has voted to reduce that to $350 billion in order to help pay for the war, reduce the deficit and shore up the Social Security fund. Do you support or oppose this reduction in Bush's proposed tax cut?
----Reduce Bush's Tax Cut----
Support Oppose
Mar. 2003 ABC/WP 65 29
(If Support) Would you support or oppose eliminating the tax cut
entirely?
----Eliminate Tax Cut Entirely----
Support Oppose
Mar. 2003 ABC/WP 45 50
Do you think the tax cuts being proposed by George W. Bush would mostly help the U.S. economy, will have no effect, or mostly hurt the U.S. economy?
-----Bush Tax Cuts On Economy-----
Mostly No Mostly
Help Effect Hurt
Apr. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 36 31 26
May 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 47 19 31
May 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 36 23 30
Jan. 2004* Gallup/CNN/USA Today 41 35 20
NOTE: *Question wording was, ". . . which passed and George W. Bush
signed into law have mostly helped the U.S. economy, have had no
effect, or have mostly hurt the U.S. economy in the past year?"
Thinking about the war in Iraq and the recent economic slowdown, which of the following comes closer to your view? Statement A: Congress should pass President Bush's tax cut plan because it is needed to stimulate economic growth or Statement B: Congress should not pass President Bush's tax cut plan because the federal budget is now in deficit and the costs of the war are unknown?
-------Congress Should---------
Pass Not Pass
Tax Cuts Tax Cuts
To Stimulate Because of Deficits &
Economy War Costs
Mar. 2003 NBC/WSJ 38 52
Apr. 2003 NBC/WSJ 43 49
Here are four taxes that could be cut. Please tell me if you think cutting each would stimulate the economy or not. If you don't know enough about any one to say, just say you don't know. First would . . . stimulate the economy or not?
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard
Yes, Stimulate Not Stimulate
Economy Economy
An across-the-board cut in federal income
taxes 54 28
A tax rebate of $300 for every taxpayer 43 46
A cut in taxes on dividends companies to
stockholders 35 40
A temporary cut in Social Security and
Medicare taxes 24 64
Do you think it is more important to pass additional tax cuts to give people more money to spend and stimulate the economy, or do you think it is better to hold off on tax cuts to avoid making budget deficits worse and ensure there is adequate money for the war with Iraq?
---------More Important--------
Pass Better
Tax Cuts To Wait
Apr. 2003 AP 31 61
Do you think the tax cuts being proposed by George W. Bush are a good idea or a bad idea at this time?
------Bush Tax Cuts------
Good Bad
Idea Idea
Apr. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 42 47
May 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 52 41
May 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 45 46
Jun. 2003* Gallup/CNN/USA Today 47 43
Sep. 2003* Gallup/CNN/USA Today 49 46
NOTE: *Question wording was " . . .tax cuts recently signed into law
by George W. Bush . . ."?
Do you think the current state of the economy makes the additional tax cuts President Bush proposes more necessary or more dangerous -- or that it doesn't make much difference either way?
---------Bush Tax Cuts----------
More No More
Necessary Difference Dangerous
Mar. 2001 PSRA/Newsweek 26 39 30
May 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 24 39 29
If you had to choose, would you prefer balancing the budget or cutting taxes?
---------Prefer To----------
Balance Cut
Budget Taxes
Mar. 2004 AP/Ipsos 61 36
If you had to choose, would you prefer balancing the budget or spending more on education, health care and economic development?
---------Prefer To----------
Balance Spend
Budget More
Mar. 2004 AP/Ipsos 36 62
Which one do you think is more effective in stimulating the nation's economy: an economic agenda focused on returning money to taxpayers through tax cuts, or an economic agenda focused on spending as health care and education?
Tax Health Care &
Cuts Education
Jan. 2006 L.A. Times 36 56
Oct. 2007 LA Times/Bloomberg 36 52
Jan. 2008 LA Times/Bloomberg 45 41
Which one do you think is more effective in stimulating the nation's economy: an economic agenda focused on returning money to taxpayers through tax cuts, or an economic agenda focused on reducing the federal deficit and paying down the national debt?
Tax Reducing
Cuts Deficit
Jan. 2005 L.A. Times 46 45
Which one do you think is more effective in stimulating the nation's economy: an economic agenda focused on returning money to taxpayers through tax cuts, or an economic agenda focused on spending for improvements to the country's infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and schools?
Tax Infrastructure
Cuts Spending
Jan. 2005 L.A. Times 34 60
Now I am going to mention various areas that receive money from the federal government. For each one, please tell me if you would be willing to pay more in taxes to keep the program going at its current level, or if you would rather see funding for that area cut. Would you rather pay more in taxes or cut funding for . . .
Feb. 28-Mar. 1, 2006 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics
Pay more Cut funding
Education 74 19
Health care 69 21
Public safety, such as police forces 67 22
Social Security 67 19
The military 63 25
Repairs on roads and bridges 58 30
Homeland security 56 32
Hurricane relief programs 53 32
Iraq reconstruction 19 70
_____________________________________________________________________
As you feel today, which political party, the Democratic or Republican, do you feel can handle each of these problems better . . . keeping taxes from getting too high?
Party Best On
---Keeping Taxes From Getting Too High---
Democratic Republican No Difference
Party Party (Vol.)
Sep. 1945* Gallup 37 26 23
Jan. 1946 Gallup 31 36 21
Jun. 1946 Gallup 31 36 20
Oct. 1946 Gallup 24 42 22
May 1947 Gallup 22 46 20
NOTE: *Question wording was, "As you feel today, which political
party, the Democratic or Republican, do you feel can handle each of
these different problems . . . Seeing that taxes don't get too
heavy?"
As you feel today, which political party, the Democratic or Republican, can handle each of these problems best . . . reducing federal income taxes?
Party Best On
-----Reducing Income Taxes -----
Democratic Republican No Difference
Party Party (Vol.)
Jul. 1952 Gallup 23 44 22
Apr. 1954* Gallup 33 39 21
Sep. 1956+ Gallup 30 28 26
May 1957+ Gallup 35 24 25
Sep. 1957+ Gallup 34 26 24
NOTE: *Question wording was, "Which party do you feel is more
interested in lowering income taxes for people like yourself . . .
the Republican Party or the Democratic Party?" +Question wording was,
"Which political party -- the Democratic or Republican Party -- do
you think would do the best job of reducing taxes during the next
four years?"
In your view, would the Republican Party or the Democratic Party do a better job of dealing with each of the following issues and problems . . . Taxes?
-------Party Best On Taxes-------
Democratic Republican
Party Party
Sep. 1978* Gallup 31 25
Jan. 1992 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 44 40
Dec. 1992 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 45 37
Dec. 1993 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 37 46
Feb. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 40 45
Mar. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 41 41
Aug. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 36 44
Oct. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 38 48
Nov. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 30 57
Oct. 1996 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 41 45
Oct. 1997 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 43 42
Oct. 1998 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 46 41
Jan. 2002 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 40 52
Jan. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 40 46
Jan. 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 48 44
Oct. 2005 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 49 41
June 2006 Gallup/USA Today 50 36
Nov.-Dec. 2007 Gallup/USA Today 44 42
NOTE: *Question wording was, "Which political party -- the Republican
Party or the Democratic Party -- do you think can do a better job of
holding taxes down?"
Which political party -- the Democrats or the Republicans -- do you feel can do a better job of keeping taxes down?
Party Best On
----------Keeping Taxes Down-----------
Democrats Republicans Neither
(Vol.)
Jun. 1978 NBC/AP 31 29 26
Oct. 1978 NBC/AP 33 31 21
Nov. 1978 NBC/AP 36 33 18
Let me read you some specific issues. When it comes to dealing with taxes, which party do you think would do a better job -- the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, both about the same, or neither?
-------Party Best On Taxes--------
Democratic Republican Both Neither
Party Party Same
Nov. 1989* NBC/WSJ 29 36 16 12
Jul. 1990* NBC/WSJ 25 34 11 14
Oct. 1990* NBC/WSJ 38 25 17 14
Mar. 1991* NBCWSJ 30 32 16 13
Oct. 1991* NBC/WSJ 26 31 18 18
Mar. 1992* NBC/WSJ 35 26 17 17
Apr. 1992* NBC/WSJ 30 24 18 23
May 1992* NBC/WSJ 29 24 17 22
Jul. 1992* NBC/WSJ 29 20 20 25
Oct. 1993 NBC/WSJ 23 34 16 23
Oct. 1994 NBC/WSJ 23 38 17 18
Nov. 1994 NBC/WSJ 23 36 16 17
Jun. 1995 NBC/WSJ 22 35 15 22
Dec. 1995 NBC/WSJ 26 34 14 20
May 1996* NBC/WSJ 25 34 17 19
Oct. 1996 NBC/WSJ 30 35 15 13
Sep. 1997 NBC/WSJ 26 31 20 16
Sep. 1998 NBC/WSJ 29 35 22 11
Oct. 1998* NBC/WSJ 32 32 21 10
Mar. 1999 NBC/WSJ 29 35 20 12
Dec. 1999 NBC/WSJ 30 33 19 13
Mar. 2000 NBC/WSJ 29 34 19 13
Jun. 2001 NBC/WSJ 28 36 20 11
Jun. 2002 NBC/WSJ 27 33 20 15
Oct. 2002* NBC/WSJ 31 36 17 11
Dec. 2003 NBC/WSJ 34 37 12 9
Jan. 2004 NBC/WSJ 35 37 16 10
Nov. 2005 NBC/WSJ 40 30 14 12
Mar. 2006 NBC/WSJ 35 26 21 15
Jun. 2006 NBC/WSJ 35 29 18 16
Jan. 2007 NBC/WSJ 38 30 18 12
Jul. 2007 NBC/WSJ 36 27 14 18
Jan. 2008 NBC/WSJ 36 31 17 12
NOTE: *Registered voters.
And who do you trust to do a better job handling taxes?
Democrats Republicans
Oct. 2-4, 2006 AP/Ipsos 49 37
Jan. 16-18, 2007 AP/Ipsos 51 39
Which party do you think can do a better job of handling taxes?
Democrats Republicans Both Neither
Apr. 8-11, 2006 LA Times/Bloomberg 41 29 4 14
Sep. 16-19, 2006 LA Times/Bloomberg 44 36 4 10
Do you think the Republicans in Congress or the Democrats in Congress would do a better job of dealing with each of the following issues and problems? How about . . . taxes?
Republicans Democrats
in Congress in Congress
Jun. 23-25, 2006 Gallup/USA Today 36 50
Which party would do a better job of managing tax policy?
Republicans Democrats
Mar. 2006 Time/SRBI 38 45
Which party do you think would do the best when it comes to dealing with the federal tax system, the Republicans or the Democrats, or don't you think there is a difference between them when it comes to taxes?
---------Party Best On Taxes--------
Republicans Democrats No Difference
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard 25 28 39
Who do you trust more to handle the issue of taxes, Democrats or Republicans?
Democrats Republicans
Mar. 19-21, 2004 AP/Ipsos 44 42
Which political party, the Democrats or the Republicans, do you trust to a better job on . . . holding taxes down?
Best Party On
-------Holding Taxes Down------
Democratic Republican
Party Party
Nov. 1981 ABC/WP 31 53
Sep. 1982 ABC/WP 38 41
Feb. 1985 ABC/WP 34 55
Jan. 1990 ABC/WP 37 47
May 1990 ABC/WP 35 53
Jul. 1990 ABC/WP 37 44
Mar. 1991 ABC/WP 35 44
Dec. 1991 ABC/WP 40 38
Jan. 1992 ABC/WP 41 45
Feb. 1994 ABC/WP 35 41
Sep. 1994 ABC/WP 36 47
Oct. 1994 ABC/WP 37 42
Jan. 1998 ABC/WP 45 44
Jul. 1998 ABC/WP 42 39
Sep. 1998 ABC/WP 47 44
Mar. 1999 ABC/WP 43 41
Aug. 1999* ABC/WP 40 49
Apr. 2001* ABC/WP 38 52
Sep. 2002* ABC/WP 44 44
Dec. 2002* ABC/WP 46 44
Aug. 2003 WP 43 40
Nov. 2005^ ABC/WP 48 38
May 2006 ABC/WP 52 38
Oct.-Nov. 2007 ABC/WP 46 40
NOTE: *Question wording was "cutting taxes." ^Question wording was
". . . handling taxes."
Which political party, the Democrats or the Republicans, do you trust to a better job on . . . taxes?
Democrats Republicans
Sep. 2002 ABC News/Wash Post 44 44
Dec. 2002 ABC News/Wash Post 46 44
Nov. 2005 ABC News/Wash Post 48 38
May 2006 ABC News/Wash post 52 38
Which political party -- the Republicans or the Democrats -- do you think would do the best job on each of the following issues . . . Keeping taxes down?
Best Party On
-------Keeping Taxes Down------
Democrats Republicans
Feb. 1999 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 33 44
Jun. 1999 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 32 45
NOTE: Asked of registered voters.
Which political party -- the Republicans or the Democrats -- do you think would do a better job on each of the following issues . . . Taxes?
----Best Party On Taxes----
Democratic Republican
Party Party
Mar. 2001 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 35 47
Feb. 2002 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 37 40
Aug. 2002 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 41 40
Oct. 2002* Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 37 45
May 2003 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 38 40
Feb. 2004 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 41 42
Feb. 2006 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 43 38
Oct. 2006 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 42 40
NOTE: Asked of registered voters. *Asked of likely voters.
Concerning taxes, do you generally agree more with the Democrats or more with the Republicans?
------Agree More On Taxes-------
Democratic Republican
Party Party
Nov. 1996 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 38 41
May 2003 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 36 42
o If a _____ gets elected president in 2008, do you think your taxes
will go up, down or stay about the same?
Feb. 27-28, 2007 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics
Up Down Stay the same
A Democrat 46 9 38
A Republican 44 5 45
I'm going to read you several positions on issues that some Democrats are running for Congress are taking. For each one please tell me whether, all other things being equal, you are more likely or less likely to vote for a Democratic candidate for Congress who takes that position, or whether it would make no difference to your vote either way.
NBC News/Wall Street Journal Sep. 30-Oct. 2, 2006
More Less No
likely likely difference
Favors raising the minimum wage from
five dollars fifteen cents to seven dollars
and twenty-five cents an hour over the next
couple of years. 65 15 19
Favors a phased withdrawal of American troops
from Iraq. 57 27 13
Opposes making the federal tax cuts of the
past few years permanent. 39 36 22
Opposes changing Social Security to allow
workers to invest some of their Social
Security taxes in the stock market. 37 36 25
Who do you have more confidence in when it comes to handling the following issues -- President Clinton or the Republicans in Congress . . . Taxes?
More Confidence
---------On Taxes---------
Clinton Republicans
Dec. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 33 55
Dec. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 36 52
Feb. 1995 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 37 50
Mar. 1995 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 39 48
May 1995 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 42 45
Aug. 1995 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 39 45
Mar. 1996 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 43 45
Apr. 1996 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 44 41
Nov. 1996 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 42 44
Feb. 1997 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 44 46
Jun. 1997 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 43 40
Mar. 1998 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 50 38
Feb. 1999 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 51 40
Aug. 1999 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 48 42
Who do you have more confidence in when it comes to handling the following issues -- President Bush or the Democrats in Congress? . . . Taxes?
More Confidence
----------On Taxes--------
Democrats Bush
Jan. 2002 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 34 58
Just your best guess, do you think the [Republican/Democratic] leaders in Congress want to raise taxes, keep taxes as they are now, or lower taxes?
---------Republican Leaders---------
Raise Keep As Lower
Taxes Now Taxes
Jan. 2002 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 24 33 38
--------Democratic Leaders---------
Raise Keep As Lower
Taxes Now Taxes
40 34 20
I would like to read you a list of issues that some people from this part of the country have said are important for government to deal with. Please listen as I read the list and tell me, for each one, whether you have more confidence in -- the Democratic Party, or the Republican Party -- to deal with this issue . . . Holding the line on taxes?
Confidence On
----Holding Line On Taxes----
Battleground Survey Democratic Republican
Party Party
Apr. 1993 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 30 52
Jun. 1993 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 24 50
Aug. 1994 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 27 48
Apr. 1995 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 26 47
Jan. 1996 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 32 46
Apr. 2001 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 36 45
Jan. 2002 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 28 57
Jun. 2002 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 29 54
Sep. 2003 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 34 53
NOTE: Asked of likely voters only.
Now, I would like to read you a list of issues that some people from this part of the country have said are important for the President and Congress to deal with. Please listen as I read the list and tell me, for each one, who would do a better job of handling this issue or better represents this quality -- the Republicans in Congress or the Democrats in Congress . . . .holding the line on taxes?
Battleground Survey Democrats Republicans
in Congress in Congress
Mar. 2004 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 40 52
Jun. 2004 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 38 53
Mar. 2005 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 36 49
Oct. 2005 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 40 49
Feb. 2006 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 36 52
Please tell me if you think the Republican Party or the Democratic Party could do a better job in each of the following areas. Which party could do a better job of . . . dealing with taxes?
Best Party On
----Dealing With Taxes----
Democratic Republican
Party Party
Oct. 1994 PSRA/Times Mirror 34 43
Mar. 1998 PSRA/Pew 40 39
Sep. 1998 PSRA/Pew 37 41
Jun. 1999 PSRA/Pew 38 38
May 2001 PSRA/Pew 40 37
Feb. 2006 PSRA/Pew 46 35
Sept. 2006 PSRA/Pew 45 30
Oct. 2006 PSRA/Pew 40 32
Feb. 2008 PSRA/Pew 49 37
Do you think Republicans in Congress or the Democrats in Congress would do a better job of dealing with each of the following issues and problems? How about . . . taxes?
Better Job Dealing
--------With Taxes--------
Congressional Congressional
Democrats Republicans
May 2002 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 36 43
Sept. 2002 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 50 38
Jan. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 40 46
Oct. 2005 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 49 41
Now, I would like to read you a list of issues that some people from this part of the country have said are important for the President and Congress to deal with. Please listen as I read the list and tell me, for each one, who would do a better job of handling this issue or better represents this quality President George W. Bush or the Democrats in Congress. . . .holding the line on taxes?
President Democrats
Bush In Congress
Mar. 2005 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 53 34
Oct. 2005 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 47 39
Feb. 2006 Tarrance(R)/Lake(D) 46 44
Who do you trust to do a better job of handling taxes: George W. Bush or the Democrats in Congress?
Bush Democrats
Jan. 2004 ABC/WP 43 46
Jan. 2006 LA Times/Bloomberg 34 43
Dec. 2006 LA Times/Bloomberg 38 47
Now I would like to mention a number of policy issues facing the country, and for each one, please tell me who you would prefer to have set the country's policy in that particular area President Bush and the Republicans or the Democrats in Congress?
Bush/ Democrats
Republicans In Congress
Jan. 2003 NBC/WSJ 46 44
Apr. 2003 NBC/WSJ 52 38
Jul. 2003 NBC/WSJ 46 45
When it comes to the current debate about federal tax cuts, whose views do you more closely share President Bush's views, or the Democrats' views?
Bush Democrats
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard 38 40
1960
Which of these two men, Nixon or Kennedy, if elected President, do you think would do the most effective job of handling these problems . . . preventing tax increases?
Best Candidate On
Preventing Tax Increases
Richard John No Difference
Nixon Kennedy (Vol.)
Apr.-May 1960 Gallup 30 36 18
Jun.-Jul. 1960 Gallup 36 30 21
Oct. 1960 Gallup 36 30 22
1964
If you had to choose, which man running for President, Barry Goldwater or Lyndon Johnson, do you feel would do a better job . . . cutting federal taxes?
Best Candidate On
Cutting Taxes
Barry Lyndon
Goldwater Johnson
Oct. 1964 Harris Interactive 52 48
1976
Both presidential candidates have been talking about taxes. Whose policy do you prefer Ford's or Carter's?
Best Candidate On
Taxes
Gerald Jimmy
Ford Carter
Sep. 1976 CBS/NYT 40 40
Oct. 1976 CBS/NYT 35 38
NOTE: Asked of registered voters.
1980
In your opinion, which candidate John Anderson, Jimmy Carter, or Ronald Reagan has the best policy on . . . cutting taxes?
Best Candidate On
Cutting Taxes
Ronald Jimmy John
Reagan Carter Anderson
Jul. 1980 LAT 44 23 7
1984
Regardless of which candidates for president and vice president you happen to prefer right now Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro, the Democrats, or Ronald Reagan and George Bush, the Republicans which ticket do you think would do the best job of handling taxes or don't you think there would be any difference between them? Best Candidate On
Handling Taxes
Ronald Walter No Difference
Reagan Mondale (Vol.)
Feb. 1984 LAT 44 30 12
May 1984 LAT 34 21 35
Oct. 1984 LAT 43 23 27
NOTE: Question wording varied slightly. Asked of registered voters.
1988
Which presidential candidate do you think would do the best job of holding down taxes: Michael Dukakis or George Bush or haven't you heard enough about that yet to say?
Best Candidate On
Handling Taxes
George H.W. Michael Haven't
Bush Dukakis Heard
Jul. 1988 LAT 39 28 16
Sep. 1988 LAT 43 26 15
Sep. 1988* LAT 46 23 14
Sep. 1988* LAT 59 18 10
Sep. 1988* LAT 53 21 7
Oct. 1988* LAT 48 23 11
Oct. 1988* LAT 56 24 5
NOTE: Question wording varied slightly. *Asked of registered voters who said they planned to or did watch the presidential debate.
1992
Regardless of which presidential candidate you support, please tell me whether you think George Bush or Bill Clinton would better handle each of the following issues . . . Taxes?
Best Candidate On
Taxes
George H.W. Bill
Bush Clinton
Mar. 1992 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 38 47
Jul. 1992 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 30 49
Aug. 1992 Gallup/Newsweek 40 48
Aug. 1992 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 43 46
Sep. 1992 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 39 50
Regardless of which presidential candidate you support, please tell me whether you think George Bush, Bill Clinton, or Ross Perot would better handle each of the following issues . . . Taxes?
Best Candidate On Taxes
George H.W. Bill Ross
Bush Clinton Perot
Oct. 1992 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 34 39 13
Oct. 1992 Gallup/Newsweek 29 39 18
Oct. 1992* Gallup/CNN/USA Today 34 34 30
Oct. 1992 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 31 32 29
Oct. 1992 Gallup/Newsweek 27 28 33
NOTE: *Asked of registered voters.
Who do you think would do the better job holding down taxes: Bill Clinton or George Bush?
Best Candidate On
Holding Down Taxes
George H.W. Bill Neither
Bush Clinton (Vol.)
Mar. 1992 LAT 39 25 11
Aug. 1992 LAT 34 36 14
Aug. 1992 LAT 44 31 12
Who do you think would do the better job holding down taxes: George Bush, Bill Clinton, or Ross Perot?
Best Candidate On
Holding Down Taxes
George H.W. Bill Ross
Bush Clinton Perot
Jul. 1992 LAT 23 21 26
Aug. 1992 LAT 39 26 10
Oct. 1992 LAT 41 25 15
1996
For each specific item I name, please tell me who you trust to do a better job handling that issue Bill Clinton or Bob Dole. Cutting taxes . . . who do you trust to do a better job handling that issue Clinton or Dole?
Trust To
Handle Taxes
Bob Bill
Dole Clinton
Mar. 1996 ABC/WP 49 38
Aug. 1996 ABC/WP 45 38
Sep. 1996 ABC/WP 48 35
Who do you think would do a better job on each of the following issues Bill Clinton or Bob Dole if he was elected President for the next four years . . . Taxes?
Best Candidate On
Taxes
Bob Bill
Dole Clinton
May 1996 Harris Interactive 40 51
Jul. 1996 Harris Interactive 41 48
Sep. 1996* Harris Interactive 44 50
Oct. 1996* Harris Interactive 46 46
Nov. 1996* Harris Interactive 46 47
NOTE: *Asked of likely voters.
2000
Which presidential candidate, Al Gore or George W. Bush, do you trust to do a better job on each of these issues . . . Holding taxes down?
Trust To
Hold Taxes Down
George W. Al
Bush Gore
Oct. 1999 ABC 53 34
Mar. 2000 ABC/WP 41 41
Apr. 2000 ABC/WP 51 35
Jul. 2000 ABC/WP 49 36
Aug. 2000* ABC/WP 47 42
Sep. 2000 ABC/WP 47 41
Sep. 2000 ABC/WP 45 43
Oct. 2000* ABC/WP 49 39
Oct. 2000* ABC/WP 47 39
Oct. 2000+ ABC 50 37
NOTE: *Asked of registered voters. +Asked of likely voters.
Regardless of who you support, which one of the presidential candidates Al Gore or George W. Bush do you think would do the best job of . . . dealing with taxes?
Best Candidate On
Taxes
George W. Al
Bush Gore
Mar. 2000 PSRA/Pew 40 42
Jun. 2000 PSRA/Pew 38 34
Aug. 2000 PSRA/Pew 41 41
Oct. 2000 PSRA/Pew 39 42
Oct. 2000 PSRA/Pew 41 42
Oct. 2000 PSRA/Pew 45 41
From what you know or have read, whose proposals would cut taxes more: Al Gore's or George W. Bush's?
George W. Al
Bush Gore
Aug. 2000 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 42 30
Sep. 2000 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 44 32
From what you know or have read, whose plan to cut to cut taxes would you favor more: Al Gore's or George W. Bush's?
George W. Al
Bush Gore
Aug. 2000 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 36 45
Sep. 2000 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 37 45
2004
Which candidate, Bush or Kerry, do you trust more to handle tax policy?
Bush Kerry
Aug. 2004 SRB/Time 43 47
Aug. 2004 SRB/Time 44 45
Aug. Sept. 2004 SRB/Time 49 40
Sept. 2004 SRB/Time 50 41
Sept. 2004 SRB/Time 46 40
Oct. 2004 SRB/ Time 43 45
Oct. 2004 SRB/Time 46 45
Oct. 2004 SRB/Time 48 41
Regardless of how you intend to vote, who do you think would do a better job on taxes George W. Bush or John Kerry?
George W. John
Bush Kerry
Mar. 2004 Quinnipiac 46 42
NOTE: Asked of registered voters.
Next, regardless of which presidential candidate you support, please tell me if you think John Kerry or George W. Bush would do a better job handling each of the following issues. How about taxes?
George W. John
Bush Kerry
Mar. 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 45 45
July 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 46 48
August 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 46 48
August 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 44 47
October 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 51 44
October 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 51 45
NOTE: *Half sample
Who do you trust to do a better job handling taxes-Bush or Kerry?
George W. John
Bush Kerry
Mar. 2004 ABC/WP 43 51
Apr. 2004 ABC/WP 49 43
June 2004 ABC/WP 40 53
June 2004 ABC/WP 41 53
July 2004 ABC/WP 49 43
August 2004 ABC/WP 43 49
August 2004 ABC/WP 48 46
Sept. 2004 ABC/WP 50 40
Regardless of which presidential candidate you support, please tell me if you trust George W. Bush or John Kerry to do a better job handling each of the following issues. First, what about taxes? Which do you trust to do a better job handling this issue, Bush or Kerry?
George W. John
Bush Kerry
Mar. 2004 PSRA/Newsweek 45 44
July 2004 PSRA/Newsweek 42 48
Sept 2004 PSRA/Newsweek 52 38
Sept. 2004 PSRA/Newsweek 47 42
Oct. 2004 PSRA/Newsweek 49 42
Oct. 2004 PSRA/Newsweek 47 45
Oct. 2004 PSRA/Newsweek 49 43
Now, I would like to read you a list of issues that some people from this part of the country have said are important for the next President to deal with. Who would do a better job of handling the issue President George W. Bush or John Kerry?
George W. John
Holding the line on taxes Bush Kerry
Mar. 2004 Battleground 52 39
Taxes
Mar. 2004 Battleground 49 45
Which presidential candidate, Bush or Kerry, do you think is more likely to raise your taxes?
George W. John
Bush Kerry
Apr. 2004 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 31 46
Now I'd like you to compare George W. Bush and John Kerry on a few issues. For each one, please tell me whether you think that George W. Bush or John Kerry would be better on that issue. If you think that both would be equally good or that neither would be good on a particular issue, just say so . . . Taxes?
Neither
George W. Bush John Kerry Both Would Be Would Be
Better Better Equally Good Good
May.2004 NBC News/WSJ 40 35 10 6
Sep 2004* NBC News/WSJ 45 37 7 6
Oct 2004* NBC News/WSJ 43 37 8 8
NOTE: *Registered voters.
Who do you think would do the best job handling taxes: George W. Bush or John Kerry?
George W. John
Bush Kerry
Sep. 2004 LA Times 47 42
Oct. 2004 LA Times 45 47
2008
If you had to choose, who do you think would do a better job on taxes -- Barack Obama a or John McCain?
Obama McCain
Jun. 15-19, 2008 Gallup/USA Today 44 35
Regardless of who you may support, who do you trust more to handle taxes -- Obama or McCain?
Obama McCain
Jun. 12-15, 2008 ABC News/Washington Post 48 40
Regardless of who you support, which one of the presidential candidates John McCain or Barack Obama do you think would do the best job of dealing with taxes?
Obama McCain
May 22-25, 2008 PSRA/Pew Research Center 39 44
Now thinking about some issues, do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Clinton is handling . . . taxes?
Clinton's Handling of Taxes
Approve Disapprove
Apr. 1993 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 34 59
Aug. 1993 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 35 61
Nov. 1993 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 29 64
Jan. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 37 54
Jan. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 42 50
Apr. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 33 61
Jul. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 31 61
Dec. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 31 59
Jun. 1995 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 36 56
Jan. 1996 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 41 51
Mar. 1996 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 35 58
Aug. 1996 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 45 48
Feb. 1997 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 39 48
May 1997 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 41 48
Jan. 1999 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 58 37
Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling . . . taxes?
Bush's Handling of Taxes
Approve Disapprove
Mar. 2001 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 56 35
Apr. 2001 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 54 39
Jul. 2001 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 60 33
Mar. 2002 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 64 29
Jan. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 49 45
Feb. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 52 42
Mar. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 52 41
Aug. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 52 44
Jan. 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 57 38
Jan. 2005 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 49 47
Jan. 2006 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 49 47
Next, please tell me whether you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling each of the following aspects of his job. Do you approve or disapprove of the way he is handling taxes?
Bush's Handling of Taxes
Approve Disapprove
Apr. 2001 PSRA/Newsweek 48 40
May 2001 PSRA/Newsweek 54 27
Aug. 2002 PSRA/Newsweek 49 42
Sep. 2002 PSRA/Newsweek 49 38
Apr. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 47 44
May 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 47 43
May 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 51 41
Jul. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 48 45
Sep. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 43 46
Sep. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 42 50
Sep. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 40 50
Oct. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 43 47
Nov. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 45 46
Dec. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 46 45
Dec. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 43 47
Jan. 2004 PSRA/Newsweek 45 47
Feb. 2004 PSRA/Newsweek 45 44
Mar. 2004 PSRA/Newsweek 43 49
May 2006 PSRA/Newsweek 39 56
Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling taxes?
Bush's Handling of Taxes
Approve Disapprove
Dec. 2002 ABC/WP 51 44
Jan. 2003 ABC/WP 50 45
Feb. 2003 ABC/WP 51 43
Apr. 2003 ABC/WP 50 46
Aug. 2003 WP 49 46
Sep. 2003 ABC 48 48
Oct. 2003 ABC/WP 41 53
Jan. 2004 ABC/WP 45 51
Mar. 2004 ABC 50 47
Apr. 2004 ABC/WP 48 49
Jun. 2004 ABC/WP 42 54
Jul. 2004 ABC/WP 49 46
Aug. 2004^ ABC/WP 49 48
Jan. 2005 ABC/WP 49 46
Jan. 2006 ABC/WP 45 52
May 2006 ABC/WP 42 54
NOTE: ^ Registered voters.
In recent years, President Bush and Congress have made major cuts in federal income tax rates. Do you approve or disapprove of these tax cuts?
Approve Disapprove
Aug. 2003 PSRA/Pew 54 37
Mar. 2004 PSRA/Pew 53 38
Jan. 2005 PSRA/Pew 51 41
Jan. 2006 PSRA/Pew 50 38
Do you approve or disapprove of the job President George W. Bush is doing on the following issues . . . Setting tax policy?
Bush's Setting Tax Policy
Approve Disapprove
Mar. 2001 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 54 31
Jun. 2001 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 59 29
Jan. 2002 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 58 28
Jan. 2003* Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 49 39
Note: Asked of registered voters. *Question wording was, "Do you approve or disapprove of the job President George W. Bush is doing on the following issues . . . Taxes?"
Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling . . . Tax policy?
Bush's Handling of Taxes
Approve Disapprove
Jun. 2002 PSRA/Pew 45 39
Feb. 2003 PSRA/Pew 42 44
Dec. 2005 PSRA/Pew 37 52
Feb. 2006 PSRA/Pew 37 52
Are you generally satisfied or dissatisfied with how George W. Bush is handling taxes?
Satisfied Dissatisfied
Mar. 2007 CBS News/NYT 42 49
Note: Responses combined.
Have the tax cuts of the last few years benefited you personally, or not? If yes, have you benefited a lot or only a little?
Benefited Benefited Haven't
a lot a little benefited
Jun. 2006 LA Times/Bloomberg 9 25 61
Oct. 2007 LA Times/Bloomberg 10 19 65
Many of the tax cuts passed in 2001 were temporary and are set to expire this year. Should those tax cuts be made permanent or should they be allowed to expire?
Bush's Tax Cuts
Make Allow
Permanent Expire
Jan. 2004* CBS 50 41
Mar. 2004* CBS/NYT 39 44
Nov. 2004* CBS/NYT 41 45
Jan. 2005 CBS/NYT 47 40
Feb. 2005 CBS/NYT 43 40
Jan. 2007 CBS 39 39
Mar. 2007 CBS/NYT 43 40
NOTE: *Question wording read, "passed in 2001 were temporary and are set to expire in 2005 . . .?
Which comes closer to your view about the tax cuts passed under President Bush over the past few years: all of the tax cuts should be made permanent, tax cuts for the wealthy should be repealed while others stay in place, all of the tax cuts should be repealed?
Made Repeal for Repeal
Permanent wealthy only all
Sep. 2004 PSRA/Pew Research Center 27 31 27
Dec. 2004 PSRA/Pew Research Center 28 35 25
Apr. 2006 PSRA/Pew Research Center 25 36 28
Oct. 2006 PSRA/Pew Research Center 26 36 26
Oct. 2007 PSRA/Pew Research Center 24 31 30
As you may know, President Bush's tax cuts are scheduled to expire in 2010. Those who want to make the tax cuts permanent say they stimulate the economy and provide more long term growth. Those who oppose making the tax cuts permanent say they increase the budget deficit at a time when billions of dollars are being spent on the war in Iraq. Are you in favor of, or opposed to, making Bush's tax cuts permanent?
Favor Oppose
Apr. 2007 LA Times/Bloomberg 44 41
As you may know, in 2001 President Bush and Congress significantly reduced taxes on investment income such as capital gains and profits from stock dividends. In your view, should these tax cuts be extended into the future, or not?
Should Should not
Jan. 2006 PSRA/Pew Research Center 50 35
Do you think Congress should repeal George W. Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy and investors, or not?
Should Should not
Dec. 8-11, 2006 LA Times/Bloomberg 56 35
As you may know, the federal income tax cuts passed into law last year are set to expire in 2011. Would you favor or oppose making those tax cuts permanent?
Bush Tax Cuts Permanent
Favor Oppose
Nov. 2002 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 64 29
Dec. 2004* Gallup/CNN/USA Today 52 40
May 2007 CNN/ORC 57 37
Mar. 2008 CNN/ORC 54 40
NOTE: *Question wording was ". . . tax cuts passed into law since George W. Bush became president are set . . ."
Would you favor new federal income tax cuts in addition to those passed last year, or do you think the tax cuts passed last year are sufficient?
Bush's Tax Cuts
Favor Cuts Are
More Cuts Sufficient
Nov. 2002 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 40 52
How much do you approve or disapprove of President Bush's positions on the following issues . . . making the cuts permanent?
Strongly Somewhat Somewhat Strongly
Approve Approve Disapprove Disapprove
Mar. 2005 Harris 30 21 14 25
As you may know, President Bush has passed income tax cuts totaling more than one trillion dollars over the last four years. These tax cuts will expire unless extended by Congress. Do you think Congress should make the tax cuts permanent, or should Congress allow the tax cuts to expire?
Bush's Tax Cuts
Make Allow
Permanent Expire
Jan. 2005 L.A. Times 54 35
Would you support making the tax cuts permanent if it means the federal budget would remain in deficit, or would you not support making the tax cuts permanent if it means the federal budget would remain in deficit
Making Tax Even If It Means
Cuts Permanent Budget Deficit
Still Not
Support Support
Jan. 2005 L.A. Times 64 29
Now let me read you a number of proposals that are before the Congress. For each one, please tell me whether you feel that Congress should enact this proposal now, that Congress should enact this proposal but it is not a good time to do so now, or whether you feel that Congress should not enact this proposal . . . making permanent the tax cuts of the past few years, which are currently set to expire in twenty-ten?
Congress Should Congress Should Enact Congress Should
Enact Now But Now Is Not Good Time Not Enact
Nov. 2005 NBC/WSJ 37 22 30
As you may know, the federal tax cuts enacted in 2001 are currently scheduled to expire in 2010. In 2011, tax rates would return to the level they were in 2000. With this in mind, would you favor or oppose making these tax cuts permanent?
Strongly Somewhat Somewhat Strongly
Favor Favor Oppose Oppose
Oct. 2005 Battleground 34 18 13 26
Do you think additional reductions in federal taxes now would be good for the economy, bad for the economy, or wouldn't they make much difference?
Additional Tax Cuts
Good Bad No Difference
Nov. 2004 CBS/NYT 31 25 37
Jan. 2005 CBS/NYT 27 24 46
Do you think the Bush administration tax cuts have helped the nation's economy, hurt the economy, or have the tax cuts had no effect on the economy?
Helped Hurt No Effect
Sep. 2004 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 35 32 25
NOTE: Likely Voters.
____________________________________________________________________
After federal taxes are collected from the American public, do you think Congress thinks of the money more as taxpayer money to spend carefully or as their money to spend as they wish?
Taxpayer Their
Money money
May 2003 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 14 79
Apr. 2006 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 10 80
As I read a series of statements, please tell me which you think is more likely to be true of [coming year]? A year when taxes will rise or a year when taxes will fall?
Taxes Will Taxes Will
Rise Fall
Dec. 1959 Gallup 76 10
Dec. 1965 Gallup 83 7
Dec. 1966 Gallup 91 4
Dec. 1967 Gallup 94 3
Dec. 1968 Gallup 78 12
Nov. 1977 Gallup 74 10
Dec. 1978 Gallup 63 25
Nov. 1979 Gallup 67 19
Jan. 1998 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 62 32
Dec. 1998 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 64 27
What's your best guess do you think Congress this year will increase taxes or decrease them?
Congress Will
Increase Stay the Same Decrease
Taxes (Vol.) Taxes
Jan. 1958 Gallup 57 29 6
How about taxes do you expect the next president to increase or decrease the taxes we pay, or will there be in no change in your opinion?
Next President Will
Increase Stay the Same Decrease
Taxes (Vol.) Taxes
Nov. 1960 U. Mich 44 38 5
Let me read you some statements about taxes. For each, tell me if you tend to agree or disagree . . . Politicians promise tax relief before an election and then do nothing about it when elected?
Politicians Violate
Tax Promises
Agree Disagree
1969 Harris Interactive 86 7
Mar. 1971 Harris Interactive 85 10
Mar. 1977 Harris Interactive 85 7
Jun. 1978 Harris Interactive 87 10
If Congress does pass a tax reform bill this year do you think it will cause your own personal taxes to increase, decrease, or stay about the same?
Congress Will
Increase Same Decrease
Taxes Taxes
Jan. 1978 Cambridge Reports 33 33 11
Of these groups, low-income people, high-income people, middle-income people, businesses and people like yourself, which do you feel would benefit the most (from the President's proposed tax cut?)
Who Benefits from Carter Tax Cut?
High Low Middle Business People
Income Income Income Like Me
Jan. 1978 Gallup 32 28 17 17 3
If Reagan'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?
Reagan's Tax Cut
Will Make Will Not Make
A Difference A Difference
Apr. 1981 CBS/NYT 35 52
Jun. 1981 CBS/NYT 41 47
Sep. 1981* CBS/NYT 30 59
Jan. 1982* CBS/NYT 29 62
May 1982+ CBS/NYT 27 63
NOTE: *Question wording was, ?Do you think that Ronald Reagan's tax cut will . . .?" + Question wording was, "Do you think that the federal tax cut in July will . . . ?"
If the Congress and President Reagan finally pass a personal income tax cut this year, what impact do you think it will have on you? Will the percentage of your income you pay next year as federal income taxes be higher, lower, or about the same as it is today?
Reagan's Tax Cut
Will Make My Taxes
Higher Same Lower
Apr. 1981 Cambridge Reports 11 43 31
As you probably know, on July 1 of this year the second stage of President Reagan's 3-year tax cut program will go into effect. How will this second stage of the 3-year tax cut program affect your income? When federal income taxes are deducted after July 1, will your income go up, go down, or will it stay about the same?
Reagan's Tax Cut
Will Make My Taxes
Go Up Same Go Down
Apr. 1982 Cambridge Reports 25 50 8
Jul. 1982* Cambridge Reports 24 49 10
Apr. 1983+ Cambridge Reports 22 44 12
Jul. 1983^ Cambridge Reports 24 52 7
NOTE: *Question wording was, ?how did this stage of the 3-year tax cut . . .?" +Question wording was, "the third stage of President Reagan's 3-year tax cut program will go into effect. How will this third stage . . .?" ^Question wording was, "the third stage of President Reagan's 3-year tax cut program went into effect. How did the third stage . . .?"
During his second term as President, do you think Ronald Reagan will, or will not, be able to make major cuts in taxes?
Reagan's Second Term
Will Cut Will Not
Taxes Cut Taxes
Jan. 1985 LAT 32 58
If Congress passes President Reagan's tax reform proposal, do you think the amount of personal income taxes you pay the federal government will increase, decrease, or stay about the same?
Reagan's Tax Proposal
Will Make My Taxes
Increase Stay the Same Decrease
Oct. 1985 Cambridge Reports 39 36 13
Jul. 1986* Cambridge Reports 32 38 16
Oct. 1986 + Cambridge Reports 36 32 18
Jul. 1987+ Cambridge Reports 44 35 9
Apr. 1988+ Cambridge Reports 49 31 11
Apr. 1989+ Cambridge Reports 50 29 7
NOTE: *Question wording was, "If the tax reform proposals now being considered by Congress became law, do you think the amount . . .?" +Question wording was, "When the tax reform bill is fully implemented in a few years, do you think the amount . . .?"
When a presidential candidate says he will never raise taxes, do you believe he will try not to raise them, but might change his mind later, or don't you believe him at all, or do you believe he will never raise taxes?
When Candidates Says He Won't Raise Taxes
Believe, Will Try Don't
Never Raise Not to Raise Believe
Taxes Taxes
Jul. 1988 CBS/NYT 3 60 32
George Bush has said that if he is elected president, he will not permit any new taxes. Do you believe what he says, or do you think he might accept new taxes?
Believe Bush's Tax Promise?
Believe Might Accept
Him New Taxes
Oct. 1988 NBC/WSJ 21 71
If George Bush were elected president, do you think it is likely that your federal income taxes would go up, go down, or stay about the same?
Under Bush, Taxes Will
Go Up Stay the Same Go Down
Aug. 1988 NBC/WSJ 43 47 4
If Michael Dukakis were elected president, do you think it is likely that your federal income taxes would go up, go down, or stay about the same?
Under Dukakis, Taxes Will
Go Up Stay the Same Go Down
Aug. 1988 NBC/WSJ 54 33 5
Now let me read you those issues again. This time, please tell me whether you feel that, in the next twelve months . . . federal taxes . . . will increase, decrease, or stay about the same?
In Next 12 Months, Taxes Will
Increase Stay the Same Decrease
Nov. 1978* NBC/AP 41 46 10
Mar. 1991+ NBC/WSJ 59 30 7
Jun. 1991 + NBC/WSJ 62 33 3
Jan. 1992 + NBC/WSJ 47 37 12
Feb. 1992+ NBC/WSJ 50 40 7
NOTE: *Question wording was, "Do you expect your federal taxes to increase next year, decrease next year, or remain about the same?? +Asked of registered voters.
If a presidential candidate took a pledge not to raise taxes if elected, would you or would you not believe him?
Candidate Who Says He
Won't Raise Taxes
Believe Not Believe
Him Him
Feb. 1992 NBC/WSJ 8 86
In his convention speech, President Bush said he made a mistake by agreeing to tax increases in his first term and said that he will not do it again. Do you believe Bush will not raise taxes if he is elected to a second term, or do you believe that he will raise taxes?
Bush Says He
Won't Raise Taxes
Believe Not Believe
Him Him
Aug. 1992 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 32 61
Bill Clinton says he's less likely than past Democratic candidates to raise taxes and increase government spending. Do you believe this, or not?
Clinton Says He
Won't Raise Taxes
Believe Not Believe
Him Him
Sep. 1992 CBS/NYT 26 63
If George Bush is re-elected, do you think your taxes will go up, go down or stay about the same?
Under Bush, Taxes Will
Go Up Stay the Same Go Down
Oct. 1992 Harris/Business Week 61 37 1
If Bill Clinton is elected, do you think your taxes will go up, go down or stay about the same?
Under Clinton, Taxes Will
Go Up Stay the Same Go Down
Oct. 1992 Harris/Business Week 64 29 6
By the end of President Bill Clinton's term in office, do you expect taxes on the middle class to have been reduced, or not?
At End of Clinton's Term
Expect Taxes Do Not Expect
To Be Cut Taxes To Be Cut
Jan. 1994 CBS/NYT 15 80
Did President Clinton's economic plan increase your taxes, decrease your taxes, or didn't it affect your taxes at all?
Clinton's Plan
Increased Didn't Affect Decreased
My Taxes My Taxes My Taxes
Sep. 1994 CBS/NYT 46 45 3
With the Republicans in control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, do you think your taxes will . . . go up, stay about the same, or go down?
With Republicans In Control
Taxes Will Stay Taxes Will
Go Up Same Go Down
Nov. 1994 CBS 42 46 9
If your federal income tax cut was cut by $500 dollars per year, how much of a difference would that make to you financially . . . a big difference, somewhat of a difference, not much of a difference, or no difference?
$500 Tax Cut
Big Somewhat Not Much No
Difference Difference Difference Difference
Dec. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 20 35 32 13
Mar. 1999 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 29 29 28 14
Do you think your family's taxes will go up, go down or stay about the same next year as a result of the decisions made in Washington?
----------------------- Next Year ----------------------
Taxes Will Stay Taxes Will
Go Up Same Go Down
Oct. 1995 AP 55 33 6
If Bill Clinton is re-elected president in November, do you think your taxes would increase, decrease, or stay about the same?
------------------If Clinton Is Elected------------------
Taxes Will Stay Taxes Will
Increase Same Decrease
Oct. 1996 CBS/NYT 44 47 3
If Bob Dole is elected president in November, do you think your taxes would increase, decrease, or stay about the same?
-----------------If Dole Is Elected--------------------
Taxes Will Stay Taxes Will
Increase Same Decrease
Oct. 1996 CBS/NYT 40 34 19
As a result of the budget agreement between Bill Clinton and Republicans in Congress which they say will balance the federal budget by the year 2002 and cut taxes for many Americans do you think the taxes you personally pay will go up, go down, or stay about the same?
---------------------1997 Budget Plan--------------------
Taxes Will Stay Taxes Will
Go Up Same Go Down
Jul. 1997 Yankelovich/
CNN/Time 42 43 10
Do you believe politicians when they promise to lower taxes?
Yes No
Mar. 1999 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 9 87
NOTE: Asked of registered voters.
When President Clinton talks about "targeted tax cuts," do you think he means you will get a tax cut or is he talking about giving somebody else a tax cut?
Talking Someone
About Me Else
Mar. 1999 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 18 62
NOTE: Asked of registered voters.
Thinking about the federal income tax cuts President George W. Bush has proposed, do you expect your taxes to go down a lot, go down a little, or not go down at all?
------------Under Bush Plan, Taxes Will-------------
Go Down Go Down Not
A Lot A Little At All
Feb. 2001* Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 13 69 15
Apr. 2001 AP 6 50 36
Mar. 2002+ AP 4 36 54
NOTE: *Asked of those who said they had watched Bush's Feb. 27, 2001
speech before a joint session of Congress. +Question wording was,
"Thinking about the federal income tax cuts Congress passed last
year, do you expect . . .?"
With Republicans in control of Congress, do you think your taxes will increase, decrease, or stay about the same?
---------------With Republicans In Control----------
Taxes Will Stay Taxes Will
Increase Same Decrease
Nov. 2002 CBS/NYT 40 40 14
Jan. 2003 CBS 38 43 14
As you may already know, last year the United States Congress enacted several federal tax cuts that had been proposed by President Bush. In thinking about your federal taxes do you now pay more in taxes or less in taxes? And, do you feel strongly about that?
Pay More, Pay More Pay Less Pay Less,
Feel Strongly Feel Strongly
Mar. 2004 Battleground 24 7 11 32
In thinking about your taxes, do you think you now pay more in federal taxes or less in federal taxes? And, do you feel strongly about that?
Pay More, Pay More Pay Less Pay Less,
Feel Strongly Feel Strongly
Mar. 2004 Battleground 30 12 10 27
If George W. 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?
----------Bush's Tax Cut-----------
Will Make Will Not Make
Difference Difference
Feb. 2001 CBS/NYT 39 52
Mar. 2001 CBS/NYT 39 54
Apr. 2001 CBS/NYT 36 58
Apr. 2001 CBS/NYT 36 59
Looking ahead, how much of a difference would this tax cut make for you and your family -- a big difference, some difference, only a little difference, or no difference at all?
----------------------Bush's Tax Cut----------------------
Big Some Only A No
Difference Difference Little Difference
Feb. 2001 Gallup/CNN/
USA Today 18 26 33 20
In the next several days, Congress may pass a plan that would cut taxes more than $1 trillion over the next ten years. If the tax cut is enacted, do you think it will mostly help you and your family, hurt you and your family, or do you think it will not make much difference?
---------------Bush's Tax Cut----------------
Help No Hurt
Family Difference Family
May 2001 Gallup/CNN/USA
Today 37 34 11
As you may know, Congress passed and President Bush signed a law that would cut tax rates over the next 10 years. As part of the law, most taxpayers will receive a rebate check of $300 to $600 from the federal government in the next few months. How much of a difference will this tax rebate check make to you and your family -- a big difference, some difference, only a little difference, or no difference at all?
-------------------Bush's Tax Rebates-------------------
Big Some Only A No
Difference Difference Little Difference
Jul. 2001 Gallup/CNN/
USA Today 11 21 30 33
Have those tax cuts (enacted in 2001) made a significant difference in the amount of money you have after taxes, or not?
-----------Bush's Tax Cuts----------
Significant Not Significant
Difference Difference
Nov. 2002 CBS/NYT 17 74
Jan. 2003 CBS/NYT 20 76
If George W. Bush is re-elected President in November, do you think your taxes will go up, go down, or stay about the same?
---If Bush is re-elected, my taxes will---
Go Up Go Down Stay About the Same
Aug. 2004 CBS News/NYT 36 5 55
Sep. 2004 CBS News/NYT 36 5 55
Oct. 2004 CBS News/NYT 31 5 61
When you hear the President talk about income tax cuts, do you think you and your family will benefit financially from those cuts, or not?
-------Benefit From Bush Tax Cuts-----
Yes No
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard 42 50
Do you think the new tax law will -- or will not -- help your family's financial situation?
-------Benefit From Bush Tax Cuts-----
Yes No
May-Jun. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 35 56
Jun. 2003 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 34 56
If John Kerry were to win the election in November, do you think your federal income taxes would go up, or not?
-----If Kerry Wins, Taxes Will-----
Go Up Not Go Up
Mar. 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 58 27
If a _____ gets elected president in 2008, do you think your taxes will go up, down or stay about the same?
Feb. 27-28, 2007 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics
Up Down Stay the same
A Democrat 46 9 38
A Republican 44 5 45
Taxes as a Voting Issue, 1984-2004
Which issues -- if any -- were most important to you in deciding whom to vote for? No issues really, civil rights, the federal budget deficit, foreign relations, government spending, environmental protection, farm problems, inflation, nuclear arms control, taxes, or unemployment? [accepted up to two responses] (LA Times, Nov. 1984)
Which issues mattered most in deciding how you voted? Punishing criminals, helping the middle class, environment and pollution, economic prosperity and jobs, the federal budget deficit, not raising taxes, defense spending, U.S.-Soviet relations, or abortion? [accepted up to two responses] (CBS/NYT, Nov. 1988)
Which one or two issues mattered most in deciding how you voted for president? Health care, federal budget deficit, abortion, education, economy/jobs, environment, taxes, foreign policy, or family values? [accepted up to two responses] (VNS, Nov. 1992)
Which issues -- if any -- were most important to you when deciding how you would vote for president today -- moral values, education, jobs/the economy, the environment, taxes, abortion, health care, poverty, federal budget deficit, crime/drugs, foreign affairs or none of the above? [accepted up to two responses] (LA Times, Nov. 1992)
Which one issue mattered most in deciding how you voted for president? Foreign policy, Medicare/Social Security, taxes, crime/drugs, economy/jobs, education, or the federal budget deficit? [accept only one response] (VNS, Nov. 1996)
Which issues, if any, were most important to you in deciding how you would vote for president today? Moral/ethical values, education, jobs/the economy, the environment, taxes, abortion, health care, poverty, federal budget deficit, crime/drugs, foreign affairs, or none of the above? [accepted up to two responses] (LA Times, Nov. 1996)
Which one issue mattered most in deciding how you voted for president? World affairs, Medicare/Prescription drugs, health care, economy/jobs, taxes, education, Social Security? [accept only one response] (VNS, Nov. 2000)
Which issues, if any, were most important to you in deciding how you would vote for president today? Moral/ethical values, education, jobs/the economy, the environment, taxes, abortion, health care, Social Security, budget surplus, Medicare/prescription drugs, foreign affairs, or none of the above? [accepted up to two responses] (LA Times, Nov. 2000)
Which one issue mattered most in deciding how you voted for president? Taxes, education, Iraq, terrorism, economy/jobs, moral values, health care? [accept only one] (NEP, Nov. 2004)
Which issues, if any, were most important to you in deciding how you would vote for president today? Moral/ethical values, jobs/economy, terrorism/homeland security, situation in Iraq, social issues such as abortion and gay marriage, education, taxes, health care, foreign affairs, Social Security, Medicare/prescription drugs, or none of the above? [accepted up to two responses] (LA Times, Nov. 2004)
Year National Top Issue --How Voters Who Selected Taxes--
Exit Pollster (Compared with Taxes) -----As Their Top Issue Voted----
1984 LA Times Govt. Spending 22
Taxes 17 Reagan 80 Mondale 20
1988 CBS/NYT Helping the
middle class 25
Taxes 14 Bush 68 Dukakis 30
1992 VNS Economy/Jobs 42
Taxes 14 Bush 56 Clinton 25
1992 LA Times Economy/Jobs 56
Taxes 13 Bush 61 Clinton 24
1996 VNS Economy/Jobs 26
Taxes 14 Dole 73 Clinton 19
1996 LA Times Morals/
Ethical Values 40
Taxes 16 Dole 64 Clinton 25
2000 VNS Economy/Jobs 18
Taxes 14 Bush 80 Gore 17
2000 LA Times Morals/
Ethical Values 35
Taxes 17 Bush 71 Gore 27
2004 NEP Moral Values 22
Taxes 5 Bush 57 Kerry 43
2004 LA Times Morals/
Ethical Values 40
Taxes 9 Bush 61 Kerry 38
I'm going to read you several positions on issues that some Democrats are running for Congress are taking. For each one please tell me whether, all other things being equal, you are more likely or less likely to vote for a Democratic candidate for Congress who takes that position, or whether it would make no difference to your vote either way.
NBC News/Wall Street Journal Sep. 30-Oct. 2, 2006
More likely Less likely No difference
Favors raising the minimum wage
from five dollars fifteen cents
to seven dollars and twenty-five
cents an hour over the next
couple of years. 65 15 19
Favors a phased withdrawel of
American troops from Iraq. 57 27 13
Opposes making the federal tax
cuts of the past few years
permanent. 39 36 22
Opposes changing Social Security
to allow workers to invest some
of their Social Security taxes
in the stock market. 37 36 25
_____________________________________________________________________
How much do you think one person should be allowed to inherit -- none, $100,000 or less, $100,000 to $1 million, $1 million to $10 million, or no limit?
--How Much Should A Person Be Allowed to Inherit?--
None $100,000 $100,000- $1 Million- No
Or Less $1 million $10 Million Limit
Jul. 1935 Roper/Fortune
Total 1 14 16 2 52
Prosperous 1 8 16 2 59
Upper Middle 1 13 16 3 51
Lower Middle 1 16 16 2 51
Poor 1 17 15 2 47
Some taxes are paid to the federal government in Washington and some are paid to state and local governments. Using a scale of 1 to 5, where one means "very fair" and five means "not at all fair," please indicate what you think of these federal taxes in terms of fairness.
Mar. 2007 Harris/Tax Foundation
Not at
Very fair Fair all fair
1 2 3 4 5
Cigarette, beer, and wine taxes 29 12 24 15 21
Corporate income taxes 16 10 32 17 25
Social security payroll taxes 8 9 42 21 19
Gas taxes 6 7 24 28 35
Estate taxes 5 6 23 25 42
Federal income taxes 4 9 39 31 17
If taxes had to be raised in order to increase revenues, how would you feel about raising the following types of federal taxes?
Mar. 2007 Harris Interactive
--------Should-------- ------Should not-------
Definitely Probably Probably Definitely
Cigarette taxes 52 21 8 16
Beer and alcohol taxes 42 31 9 15
Estate taxes 11 19 25 39
Gas taxes 4 11 22 60
Income taxes 3 12 26 55
Social security taxes 2 10 22 61
Medicare taxes 1 7 24 63
I'm going to read you some positions that someone running for Congress could take. For each, please tell me whether you would be more likely to vote for a candidate for Congress who takes this position, less likely to vote for this candidate, or would it not make a difference to you either way? Favors repealing the estate tax.
More likely Less likely No difference
Jun. 9-12, 2006 NBC/WSJ 48 18 27
Here are some tax reductions that will be considered by Congress. For each one I mention, please tell me whether you think it will help you and your family a lot, help some, help very little, or not help at all. If you are not sure, please do not hesitate to say so . . . A reduction in the inheritance tax?
Inheritance Tax Cut
--------Help You And Your Family-------
A Lot Some Very Little None
Apr. 1997 NBC/WSJ 20 22 16 37
Please indicate whether you would generally favor or oppose each of the following proposals which might be included in the plan to balance the budget by the year 2002 . . . Reducing the taxes people must pay when they inherit money or property?
----Cut Inheritance Tax----
Favor Oppose
May 1997 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 61 37
Do you think the inheritance tax on estates worth more than six hundred thousand dollars should be reduced, or not?
----Reduce Inheritance Tax----
Should Should Not
Jun. 1997 NBC/WSJ 43 44
Thinking about the federal inheritance tax, do you consider this tax too high, about right, too low, or don't you know enough to say?
---------Inheritance Tax Is--------
Too About Too Don't
High Right Low Know
Jan. 2000 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 41 5 1 53
Now, I would like to ask you a question about taxes that are paid on money or assets which are inherited when someone dies. As you may know, federal inheritance taxes currently apply to estates valued at more than $1 million. A new proposal would eliminate all inheritance taxes on estates over $1 million as well. Would you favor or oppose that proposal?
----Inheritance Tax Cut----
Favor Oppose
Jun. 2000 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 60 35
If such a proposal (that would eliminate all inheritance taxes on estates valued at more than $1 million) were passed into law, do you think you would or would not personally benefit from such a law in the future, or don't you know enough about it to say?
-------------Inheritance Tax Cut--------
Personally Not Personally Don't
Benefit Benefit Know
Jun. 2000 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 17 43 39
Candidate A believes that a large estate left to heirs should be taxed at a rate of 50 percent for anything over $1.2 million. Candidate B believes that the estate tax is unfair to heirs and should be eliminated. Who do you support?
Candidate A/ Candidate B/
Keep Tax Eliminate
As Is Estate Tax
Jul. 2000 Zogby International 15 75
I would like to ask you a couple of questions about taxes that are paid on money or assets which are inherited when someone dies. As you may know, federal inheritance taxes currently apply only to estates valued at more than $1 million. Which of the following would you prefer to see Congress do this year -- change the laws to eliminate all inheritance taxes on all estates, eliminate inheritance taxes on small businesses and family farms but otherwise leave the taxes unchanged, or leave inheritance tax laws unchanged?
-------Changes to Inheritance Tax-------
Eliminate Elim. For Small Leave
It Biz/Farms Unchanged
Feb. 2001 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 39 30 25
Now, I would like to ask you a question about taxes that are paid on money or assets which are inherited when someone dies. As you may know, federal inheritance taxes currently apply only to estates valued at more than $1 million. Which of the following would you prefer to see Congress do: Change the laws to eliminate all inheritance taxes on all estates, or leave inheritance tax laws unchanged?
-----Changes to Inheritance Tax-----
Eliminate Leave
Tax Unchanged
Nov. 2002 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 50 46
Currently the federal government taxes the estates -- that is, the property and money -- people leave when they die. In a few years, that tax will only apply to estates worth more than $3.5 million, and by 2010 there would be no tax on any estate, no matter what it is worth. Which comes closer to your view? 1. There should be no tax on any estate or 2. The estate tax should be eliminated for most people, but kept in place for the very largest estates?
No Estate Tax Only
Tax Large Estates
Nov. 2002 CBS/NYT 41 54
Mar.-Apr. 2008 CBS/NYT 44 47
Currently the federal government taxes the estates -- that is, the property and money people leave when they die. In a few years, that tax will only apply to estates worth more than $3.5 million, and by 2010 there would be no tax on any estate, no matter what it is worth. Which comes closer to your view? 1. There should be no tax on any estate as George W. Bush proposes or 2. The estate tax should be eliminated for most people, but kept in place for the very largest estates as the Democrats propose?
No Estate Tax Only
Tax Large Estates
Nov. 2002 CBS/NYT 44 47
Do you favor or oppose each of the following economic proposals . . . eliminating the tax on estates, sometimes also called the "death tax"?
----Eliminate Estate Tax----
Favor Oppose
Jan. 2003 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 67 21
There is a federal estate tax -- that is, a tax on the money people leave when they die. Do you favor or oppose eliminating this tax, or don't you know enough to say? (Asked of half sample)
-----Eliminate Estate Tax------
Favor Oppose Don't Know
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard 54 16 29
There is a federal estate tax that some people call the death tax. This is a tax on the money people leave when they die. Do you favor or oppose eliminating this tax, or don't you know enough to say? (Asked of half sample)
------Eliminate Death Tax-----
Favor Oppose Don't Know
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard 60 15 26
NOTE TO QUESTIONS ABOVE: When those who favored eliminating the
estate tax in both samples were asked, "Why do you favor eliminating
the estate tax as it is now? Is this a reason or not. . . ?" 92
percent agreed that "the money was already taxed once and shouldn't
be taxed again," was a reason. Seventy-four percent agreed that "it
might force the sale of small businesses and family farms" was a
reason. Sixty-nine percent agreed that, "it might affect YOU someday"
was a reason. Sixty-two percent agreed that "it affects too many
people" was a reason. When those who opposed eliminating the estate
tax in both samples were asked, "Why do you oppose eliminating the
estate tax as it is now? Is this a reason or not. . . ?" 63 percent
agreed that, "it is a good way for the government to raise revenues"
was a reason. Fifty-eight percent agreed that, "it affects only the
wealthiest Americans, who can afford to pay taxes the most," was a
reason. Fiftythree percent agreed that, "it limits the power and
influence of wealth," was a reason. Forty-six percent agreed that,
"wealthy people should give something back to the country when they
die," was a reason.
Do you personally favor or oppose completely eliminating the estate tax -- that is, the tax on property left by people who die?
Favor Oppose
Mar-Apr. 2005 Harris Interactive/Tax Foundation 68 17
Mar. 2006 Harris Interactive/Tax Foundation 68 19
Mar. 2007 Harris Interactive/Tax Foundation 66 19
Some taxes are paid to the federal government in Washington and some are paid to state and local governments. Of the following federal taxes, which do you think is the worst tax -- that is, the least fair?
-----------Least Fair Tax---------------
Federal Federal Social Federal
Estate Income Security Corporate
Mar.-Apr. 2005 Harris Interactive/
Tax Foundation 30 26 15 8
Mar. 2006 Harris Interactive/
Tax Foundation 31 25 14 7
Currently the federal government taxes the assets -- that is, the property and money -- someone leaves when they die if the assets are worth more than a certain amount of money. Do you favor or oppose placing this tax on assets when someone dies?
Favor Oppose
Mar.2005 NYT 17 76
(Asked of those who opposed) What if the tax was only collected on
estates worth more than $1.5 million? Then would you favor or oppose
placing this tax on assets when someone die?
Favor Oppose
Mar.2005 NYT 27 46
Under the current law, the federal tax on estates will be phased out between now and 2010, when there will be no tax on estates at all. Unless Congress acts, the tax cut will then expire and the tax will again be collected on estates worth more than $1 million. Which comes closest to your opinion: 1. The federal government should tax estates worth more than $1 million, or 2. It should only tax estates worth more than $3.5 million, or 3. The federal tax on all inheritances should be permanently eliminated?
More More Eliminate
Than $1M Than $3.5M All Estate Tax
Mar.2005 NYT 23 20 50
Which of the following statements best describes your opinion of the federal tax system: it is fine the way it is, it needs minor changes, it needs major changes, it should be completely overhauled?
Fine Minor changes Major changes Overhaul
Mar-Apr. 2005 Harris/Tax
Foundation 2 16 42 35
Mar. 2006 Harris/Tax
Foundation 2 14 40 40
Mar. 2007 Harris/Tax
Foundation 3 15 39 38
If you could choose one plan to collect all federal taxes, of these listed, which federal tax plan would you prefer: a flat-rate income tax with no deductions, the current graduated income tax with deductions, a national sales tax?
Flat tax Graduated National sales
Mar.-Apr. 2005 Harris/Tax
Foundation 37 19 19
Mar. 2006 Harris/Tax
Foundation 33 21 20
There has been some talk about the federal budget deficit recently. Which one of the following do you think is the best way to reduce the federal budget deficit?
Increase Reduce defense Reduce domestic
Taxes & military spending spending
Feb. 2007 PSRA/Pew Research
Center 9 33 36
As I read you some things the new Congress might do over the next two years, please tell me if you think each should be one of their top priorities, a lower priority, or shouldn't be done at all. What about . . . major reform of the federal income tax system?
---------Reforming Tax System--------
Top Priority Lower Priority Not
For Congress For Congress Done
Nov. 2002 PSRA/Newsweek 65 21 7
NOTE: When ranked according to top priority, "major reform of the
federal income tax system" ranked second out of eleven categories.
The other items were "helping seniors pay for prescription drugs" (80
percent), "creating the new Homeland Security department that
President Bush wants, with a reduced role for federal employee
unions" (43 percent), "making President Bush's 10-year, $1.3
trillion dollar tax cut program permanent" (42 percent), "approval of
conservative judges President Bush has nominated for the federal
courts" (30 percent), "new tax cuts for investors, such as increasing
deductions for investment losses or removing double taxation on stock
dividends" (29 percent), "limiting or eliminating affirmative action
preferences for minorities and women" (28 percent), "giving religious
charities a bigger role in providing government social services" (26
percent), "relaxing environmental regulations to allow oil drilling
in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge" (26 percent), "Social
Security reform to allow some of the tax money collected to be
invested in the stock market" (24 percent), and "new laws to restrict
abortion" (24 percent).
For each issue I named, please tell me what kind of priority you think Bush and the Congress should give it -- the highest priority, a high priority but not the highest, a middle priority, or a lower priority . . . Taxes?
-----------Reforming Tax System---------
Highest High Middle Lower
Priority Priority Priority Priority
Dec. 2002 ABC/WP 19 36 35 10
NOTE: When ranked according to highest priority, "taxes" ranked ninth
out of ten categories. The other items were "homeland security" (49
percent), "the U.S. campaign against terrorism" (48 percent), "the
economy" (41 percent), "the situation with Iraq and Saddam Hussein"
(39 percent), "education" (34 percent), "the cost, availability, and
coverage of health insurance" (28 percent), "Social Security" (26
percent), "the cost of prescription drugs" (21 percent), and "the
environment" (18 percent).
For each issue I name, please tell me what kind of priority you think Bush and Congress should give it -- the highest priority, a high priority but not the highest, or a lower priority than that . . . Taxes?
-----Reforming Tax System-----
Highest High Lower
Priority Priority Priority
Apr. 2003 ABC/WP 30 51 17
Jan. 2005 ABC/WP 19 60 19
Feb. 2005 Washington Post 27 54 17
Jan. 2006 ABC/WP 27 54 17
NOTE: In the January 2005 survey, when ranked according to highest
priority, "taxes" was tied for ninth out of twelve categories. The
other items were "situation in Iraq" (61 percent), "the U.S. campaign
against terrorism" (52 percent), "education" (44 percent), "the
economy" (43 percent), "health care" (40 percent), "Social Security"
(35 percent), "the federal budget deficit" (32 percent), "immigration
issues" (20 percent), "the environment" (19 percent), "reducing
political partisanship in Washington" (16 percent), and "restricting
medical malpractice and class-action lawsuits (13 percent).
What would you say is the one most important problem you would like to see (George W.) Bush and the Congress deal with this year (2007)?
Percentage who say taxes
Jan. 2007 ABC News/Wash Post 1
Finally, all things considered, do you think our federal tax system as it stands today has a lot of serious problems in it and needs a major overhaul, or has some problems that can be fixed with some relatively minor changes, or that, everything considered, the system is pretty much all right as it is now?
-------------Feelings About Tax System--------
Serious Problems/ Some Problems/ All Right
Major Overhaul Minor Changes As Is
Apr. 1986 Roper GfK-NOP 43 49 6
And, which political party -- the Republicans or the Democrats -- do you think is doing a better job reforming the nation's federal income tax system?
Best Party On
-----Reforming Tax System-----
Democratic Republican
Party Party
Feb. 1985* NBC 37 40
Oct. 1985 NBC/WSJ 30 42
Jun. 1986 NBC/WSJ 24 42
Aug. 1986 NBC/WSJ 25 44
NOTE: *Question wording was " . . . better able to deal more fairly
with this country's income tax system?
There is much discussion about whether or not it is necessary to make major changes in America's institutions and systems. In each of the following areas, do you believe that major changes, minor changes, or no real changes are necessary?
Nov. 1993 Roper GfK-NOP
------------System Needs-------------
Major Minor No Real
Changes Changes Changes
Our health care system 75 18 5
Our welfare system 73 18 5
Our prison system 66 22 6
Our tax system 64 27 6
Our public education system 62 29 5
Our legal system 58 29 9
Our social security system 40 35 18
The way we elect our nation's leaders 35 31 30
Do you feel that the current income tax system is basically fair, or basically unfair? (If Unfair) Do you think the system could be made fair with some minor adjustments, or does it need a complete overhaul?
----------------Feelings About Tax System----------
Fair Unfair/ Unfair/ Unfair/
Needs Minor Needs Major Not Sure
Adjustments Overhaul (Vol.)
Jul. 1994 NBC/WSJ 38 19 37 3
Apr. 1995 NBC/WSJ 28 15 51 2
Mar. 1996 NBC/WSJ 30 16 47 3
NOTE: In Jan. 1994, NBC/WSJ asked, "Which of the following statements
comes closer to your point of view? Statement A: It will be possible
to control health care costs and cover all Americans by making
changes in the current health care system. Statement B: It will not
be possible to control health care costs and cover all Americans
without a complete overhaul of our current health care system?"
Twenty-seven percent chose Statement A and 68 percent chose Statement
B. When NBC/WSJ asked the question in Mar. 1993, 22 percent chose
Statement A and 74 percent chose Statement B.
Which of the following statements best represents what you feel about the federal tax system: It needs to be completely overhauled, it needs major changes, it needs minor changes, or it is basically fine the way it is?
--------Feelings About Tax System--------
Completely Major Minor Basically
Overhauled Changes Changes Fine
Nov. 1997 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 38 35 21 5
Jan. 2000 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 26 35 28 9
Dec. 2004 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 24 35 29 11
NOTE: In Sep. 1993, Gallup asked, "Which of the following statements
best describes your opinion of the nation's health care system: The
health care system is fundamentally sound, or the health care system
is fundamentally unsound? (If Sound) Do you think the system requires
some minor changes or not? (If Unsound) Do you think the system needs
to be completely rebuilt from scratch, or do we just need to make
major changes in the system we now have?" Twenty-one percent said
"unsound, start from scratch," 52 percent said "unsound, major
changes," 18 percent said "sound, minor changes," and 3 percent said
"sound, no changes."
Which of the following statements comes closest to expressing your overall view of the federal tax system in this country? (1) On the whole, the federal tax system works pretty well and Congress should make only minor changes to make it work better. (2) there is so much wrong with the federal tax system that Congress should completely change it?
----------Congress Should--------
Completely Make Minor
Change It Changes
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard 52 44
Do you think the federal tax system is too complicated, or not?
Too Not Too
Complicated Complicated
Mar. 1999 AP 66 28
Apr. 2005 AP/Ipsos 70 28
Would you be willing to give up some deductions and credits to make the tax simpler, or not?
Yes No
Apr. 2005 AP/Ipsos 45 51
Mar.-Apr. 2006 Harris/Tax Foundation 54 21
Mar. 2006 Harris/Tax Foundation 52 22
Note: Harris wording does not include "and credits"
How complex do you think the current federal income tax system is? Do you think it is very complex, somewhat complex, not too complex or not complex at all?
Very Somewhat Not Too Not At All
Complex Complex Complex Complex
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kasier/NPR/Harvard 50 36 8 3
Mar.-Apr. 2005 Harris/Tax Foundation 46 35 9 2
Mar. 2006 Harris/Tax Foundation 48 32 9 1
(Asked of those who think the current system is complex) Do you think
it is complex because . . . ?
Feb.-Mar. 2003 Kaiser/NPR/Harvard
Yes No
There are so many different kinds of deductions and
tax credits, and so many rules about how to take them 95 3
It requires too much record-keeping 63 36
There are too many different tax rates, such as 15%,
25%, and 35% 61 34
The forms are too hard to fill out 59 39
As you may know, President Bush has said that reforming the tax code will be one of his top priorities during his second term. Do you think Bush should reform the tax code, or not?
--------Bush Should Reform Tax Code-------
Yes No
Jan. 2005 L.A. Times 59 24
How much do you approve or disapprove of President Bush's positions on the following issues . . .simplifying the tax code?
Strongly Somewhat Somewhat Strongly
Approve Approve Disapprove Disapprove
Mar. 2005 Harris 34 25 11 16
Regardless of whether you think Bush should reform the tax code, which of the following should be Bush's top priority in reforming the tax code: Maintaining the principle that wealthier families should pay a higher percentage of their income on taxes than middle or lower income families, or insuring that all taxpayers pay the same flat tax rate on their incomes, or eliminating the income tax and using just a sales and consumption tax or eliminating loopholes to insure that businesses pay all taxes they owe or cutting taxes on savings and investments such as capital gains from stocks?
Jan. 2005 L.A. Times
Wealthier families pay more 33
Eliminating loopholes for businesses 33
All taxpayers pay the same flat tax rate 27
Eliminating income tax with sales tax 8
Cutting taxes on savings/investments 6
When you hear people talk about federal tax reform or about reforming the federal tax system, what do you think that really means?
Jan. 2005 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics
Simplifying tax rules/tax forms 14
Making the system more fair 13
Changing the way taxes are calculated 12
Lowering taxes 10
Raising taxes 8
Helping the rich/skeptical 6
Ending double taxation of savings/investments 2
Changing to flat tax 1
Not sure 31
The current income tax system taxes high income people at higher rates and lower income people at lower rates. Some people have proposed replacing that system with a flat tax, which would tax people at all income levels at one, flat tax rate. Would you favor or oppose replacing the current income tax system with one flat tax rate, or don't you know enough about it yet to say?
Favor Oppose Don't Know Enough
Jan. 2005 CBS/NYT 29 33 36
Would you favor or oppose a flat tax whereby everybody, whatever they earned, would pay income taxes on the same percentage of their income over some minimum level?
Favor Oppose
Mar-Apr. 2005 Harris Interactive/Tax Foundation 54 21
Which tax system would you prefer?
Apr. 2005 Blum & Weprin/NBC News
A system like the one we now have, with higher
rates for people with higher incomes 55
A flat tax with the same rate for everyone and no
deductions allowed 39
For each issue I've named, please tell me if you think Bush will or will not make substantial progress on it in the next four years. . . . .Taxes?
-------Reforming Tax System-----
Yes, Will No, Will Not
Make Progress Make Progress
Jan. 2005 ABC/WP 52 46
To begin with, how important are each of the following issues for President Bush to deal with in his second term . . . Tax reform?
------------------Tax Reform-----------------
Extremely Very Somewhat Not Very
Critical Important Important Important
Jan. 2005 SRB/Time 17 44 25 8
NOTE: When ranked according to extremely critical, "taxes" ranked
ninth out of nine categories. The other items were "war in Iraq" (45
percent), "jobs and the economy" (37 percent), "homeland security"
(36 percent), "education" (35 percent), "Social Security reform" (30
percent), "the environment" (24 percent), "moral values issues, such
as abortion and gay marriage" (19 percent), and "attempting to bring
peace between the Israeli's and Palestinians" (18 percent).
Next, I have some questions about the Bush administration. Whether or not you support Bush, do you think the Bush administration will or will not be able to do each of the following in its second term in office . . . improve the federal tax system?
Yes, Will No, Will Not
Jan. 2005 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 49 47
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?
----------Like Doing Your Taxes-------
Love Like Dislike Hate Neither
(Vol.)
Mar. 1990 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 2 21 33 30 10
Mar. 1991 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 2 22 40 25 8
Apr. 2000 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 3 15 39 32 9
Apr. 2001 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 3 21 35 31 6
Which comes closest to your status for filing your 2005 income tax return -- have you: 1. finished, already filed 2. started, but not finished, 3. not started yet 4. don't know
Finished Started, but Not started
not finished yet
Apr. 2-3, 1997 Fox News/Opinion
Dynamics 58 24 13
Apr. 7-8, 1998 Fox News/Opinion
Dynamics 67 19 10
Apr. 5-6, 2000 Fox News/Opinion
Dynamics 64 20 10
Apr. 2-3, 2002 Fox News/Opinion
Dynamics 62 20 13
Apr. 4-5, 2006 Fox News/Opinion
Dynamics 65 19 12
If you receive a tax refund this year, what will you or did you do with most of the money you received? 1. Pay off bills 2. Buys something new 3. Save it 4. Invest it 5. Combination 6. Other/not sure 7. Never receive refund
Bills Buy Save Invest Combination Other Not
Receive
Apr. 2004 Fox News/
Opinion
Dynamics 29 8 17 10 10 6 20
Mar. 2005 Fox News/
Opinion
Dynamics 31 7 22 8 9 6 18
Apr. 2006 Fox News/
Opinion
Dynamics 32 7 19 9 10 8 17
Next I'm going to read some behaviors. For each, please tell me whether you personally believe that it is morally acceptable, morally wrong, or is it not a moral issue
Feb. 1-5, 2006 PSRA/Pew Research Center
Wrong Acceptable Not a
moral issue
Married people having an affair 88 3 7
Not reporting all income on taxes 79 5 14
Drinking alcohol excessively 61 5 31
Having an abortion 52 12 23
Smoking marijuana 50 10 35
Homosexual behavior 50 12 33
Telling a lie to spare someone's feelings 43 23 26
Sex between unmarried adults 35 22 37
Gambling 35 17 42
Overeating 32 6 58
All in all, which of the following best describes how you feel about doing your income taxes?
--------Like Doing Your Taxes-----------
Love Like Dislike Hate Neither
(Vol.)
Mar.-Apr. 2005 Harris Interactive/ 1 11 45 25 19
Tax Foundation
People have strong feelings about some issues, and not so strong feelings about others. On this card there is a scale of feelings -- absolutely delighted, pleased, somewhat satisfied, no real feelings one way or the other, somewhat dissatisfied, angry, and boiling mad. Using this scale, how would you describe your feelings when you think about . . . the amount of taxes you pay?
----------------------Feel About Doing Taxes----------------
Delighted Pleased Satisfied None Dissat. Angry Boiling
Aug. 1996 Roper
GfK-NOP 1 5 12 15 37 18 11
Does the process of paying your taxes make you feel mostly. . . ?
----------------Process of Paying Your Taxes----------
Frustrated Happy Satisfied Neutral Anxious. Angry
Apr. 2005 Blum &
Weprin/NBC
News 17 4 15 41 10 7
I'm going to read you a short list of things that might make people feel stress. As I read each one, tell me if this is something that makes you feel a lot of stress, some stress, only a little stress, or no stress at all. How about . . . doing your taxes?
-------Stress About Doing Taxes--------
A Lot Some A Little None
Dec. 1999 PSRA/Kaiser 17 19 24 37
NOTE: Doing your taxes ranked first out of four items in terms of a
lot of stress. The other categories were dealing with your health
insurance company (14 percent), dealing with your auto mechanic or
the place that services your vehicle (12 percent), and dealing with
your auto insurance company (7 percent).
About how many hours have you or will you spend doing your income taxes this year?
-------Time To Do Taxes-------
Less 1 Hr. 1-3 Hrs. 3-5 Hrs. 5-10 Hrs. 10+ Hrs.
Mar. 1991 Gallup 12 34 15 13 9
Have you ever been reviewed by the IRS -- that is the Internal Revenue Service?
-----Reviewed by IRS-----
Yes No
Oct. 1997 NBC/WSJ 21 79
(Asked of those who said they were reviewed) Do you
believe that you were treated fairly or unfairly in your
dealings with the IRS?
Treated Treated
Fairly Unfairly
Oct. 1997 NBC/WSJ 57 42
(Asked of those who said they were reviewed) There
have been a number of incidents in which the IRS is alleged
to have behaved unethically or treated people unfairly
during audits. Do you believe that these were isolated
incidents, or is this something you think occurs fairly
regularly?
-------Abuse By IRS-------
Isolated Occurs
Incidents Regularly
Oct. 1997 NBC/WSJ 19 70
How are your taxes usually prepared?
Harris Interactive/Tax Foundation
Mar.-Apr. 2005 Mar. 2006 Mar. 2007
I pay an outside tax preparer 35 36 34
By me or someone in my house
using software like TurboTax
or TaxCut 30 33 39
By me or someone in my house
using tax forms 24 22 17
By a friend or family
member outside my house 6 5 5
Other 6 4 5
How do you prepare your taxes -- do you or someone else in your household use an account and/or tax preparer, a computer software program, a pencil and a calculator?
Mar. 2005 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics
Accountant or tax preparer 61
Computer software program 19
Pencil and a calculator 16
Not sure 3
Which of the following best describes how you do your income taxes?
Apr. 2005 Blum & Weprin/NBC News
You prepare and file them well ahead of the April 15 deadline 76
You prepare and file them at the last minute 19
You get an extension from the IRS 4
Now let me ask you about a few specific agencies. Using this card, is your opinion of them highly favorable, moderately favorable, or not too favorable, or rather unfavorable . . . I.R.S. (Internal Revenue Service)
-----IRS-----
Total
"Favorable"
1983 Roper GfK-NOP 51%
1984 Roper GfK-NOP 60
1985 Roper GfK-NOP 48
1986 Roper GfK-NOP 49
1992 Roper GfK-NOP 37
1995 Roper GfK-NOP 36
1996 Roper GfK-NOP 41
1997 Roper GfK-NOP 34
1998 Roper GfK-NOP 32
1999 Roper GfK-NOP 37
2000 Roper GfK-NOP 41
2001 Roper GfK-NOP 46
-------Aug. 1983------- -------Jul. 2001-------
Highly Not Not Highly Don't Highly Not Not Highly Don't
Too Too Too Too
Fav. Fav. Unfav. Unfav. Know Fav. Fav. Unfav. Unfav. Know
NPS 34 43 8 3 12 30 50 8 3 9
FBI 29 46 14 5 6 14 45 23 8 10
FDA 31 42 15 5 6 20 49 19 6 6
USPS -- -- -- -- -- 31 47 14 6 2
USFS -- -- -- -- -- 26 48 9 5 13
CDC -- -- -- -- -- 27 45 11 3 13
NASA -- -- -- -- -- 23 46 14 5 12
FCC 18 47 13 4 17 12 45 17 5 20
FAA 18 46 12 5 19 13 47 17 5 18
FTC 10 50 14 4 21 7 46 15 5 27
NIH -- -- -- -- -- 17 50 12 4 17
USBC -- -- -- -- -- 16 54 14 4 13
EPA 21 35 22 12 9 15 49 19 7 10
FEMA -- -- -- -- -- 18 45 14 3 19
SEC 13 42 12 3 30 11 40 13 3 32
CIA 15 38 24 9 13 12 37 25 8 17
IRS 12 38 28 16 6 7 39 30 20 5
BATF -- -- -- -- -- 12 40 24 12 12
SSA -- -- -- -- -- 14 46 24 9 7
BLM -- -- -- -- -- 8 41 18 5 28
Overall, how would you rate the job the Internal Revenue Service or IRS does -- excellent, pretty good, only fair, or poor?
-------IRS-------
Total
"Excellent" or "Pretty Good"
2000 Harris Interactive 44
2001 Harris Interactive 63
2003 Harris Interactive 51
2004 Harris Interactive 54
2007 Harris Interactive 55
How good a job do you think the IRS does in enforcing the tax laws so that everyone pays what they should pay? Would you say it does an excellent job, a good job, not too good a job, or a poor job of enforcing the tax laws so that everyone pays what they should pay?
-------IRS-------
Total
"Excellent" or "Good"
2005 Blum & Weprin/NBC News 52
There have been a number of incidents in which the IRS is alleged to have behaved unethically or treated people unfairly during audits. Do you believe that these were isolated, or is this more something you think occurs fairly regularly?
Isolated Fairly
Incidents Regular
Apr. 2005 Blum & Weprin/NBC News 42 43
In your dealings with the IRS do you feel you have been treated fairly or unfairly, or have you not had enough experience with the IRS to say?
Fairly Unfairly Not Enough To Say
Apr. 2005 Blum & Weprin/NBC News 49 5 46
Do you think most people cheat on their taxes, many people cheat on their taxes, only a few people cheat on taxes, or do you think almost no one cheats on their taxes?
Most Many Only A Almost
People People Few No One
Apr. 2005 Blum & Weprin/NBC News 9 30 51 4
Do you think any of your friends or neighbors cheat on their taxes?
Yes No Not Sure
Mar. 2005 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 38 35 28
Have you ever been tempted to cheat on your taxes, or haven't you?
Yes No
Apr. 2005 Blum & Weprin/NBC News 14 85
Do you believe it is becoming easier for someone to cheat on their income taxes, has there been no change, or is it becoming harder for someone to cheat on their income taxes?
Easier No Change Harder
Apr. 2005 Gallup 21 35 30
Are you planning to, or did you already, send your tax return to the IRS by mail, or electronically by computer?
Mail Electronically
Mar. 1997 Gallup 77 15
Apr. 1999 Gallup 66 20
Apr. 2001 Gallup 62 28
Apr. 2003 Gallup 52 34
Apr. 2005 Gallup 43 44
If you had to make a choice, which of the following would you prefer, an audit by the IRS or root canal surgery?
------Personally Prefer-------
Root Canal IRS Audit
Mar. 1997 The Polling Company 47 40
If you had a choice, do you think you would rather have a root canal at the dentist or be audited by the IRS?
-------Personally Prefer-------
Root Canal IRS Audit
Apr. 2000 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 51 34
NOTE: Asked of registered voters.
If you had to choose, which would you prefer: prepare taxes or go to the dentist?
-------Personally Prefer-------
Prepare Taxes Go To Dentist
Apr. 2005 AP/Ipsos 48 49
NOTE: Asked of registered voters.
If you could choose one person to have audited by the IRS, who would it be: your mother-in-law, your boss, or your congressman?
-------Choose To Get Audited-------
Mother-In-Law Boss Congressman
Jan. 1998 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 3 8 60
Mar. 1999 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics 3 8 68
NOTE: Asked of registered voters.
Polling Issues in Surveys on Taxes
From the 1930s to the 1970s, when a small number of national pollsters were in the field, it was relatively easy to compare their polling results and to make some sense of the findings. Today there are some fourteen national pollsters in the field regularly, and their tremendous output presents a serious challenge for any analyst. Changes in the polling industry compound the difficulty. Media-polling partnerships dominate the public polling business today, and the pollsters follow the media's ever-changing agenda. Some topics get serious attention for a short period of time, and then the media and their poll partners move on to something new. Many questions were asked about the Social Security payroll tax in the early 1980s, but such questions are hard to find today. Without trends, it is hard to know how or if attitudes are changing.
This document brings together trends from major survey organizations and commentary on the tax burden, value for tax dollars, tax fairness, progressivity, taxes and the deficit, politicians' credibility on taxes, and finally, views of the IRS and on preparing taxes. The collection here is comprehensive, but it is also full of unresolved contradictions making it difficult to know exactly what people are saying about taxes.
Pollsters approach the subject in different ways, of course, and this produces some of the confusion. That is why it is especially important to be attentive to question wording. Slight changes in wording can skew results. A series of identical questions from one pollster in 1996 showed that people thought Bob Dole would do a better job of handling taxes than Bill Clinton, but another pollster's questions asked at roughly the same time gave Clinton the edge. The first pollster asked people whether they "trusted" Bob Dole or Bill Clinton on taxes. Is it possible that people were responding to the issue of trust, on which Dole excelled, and not to the issue of taxes when answering the first question? Here is another example. Today many surveys show that people prefer reducing the deficit to additional tax cuts. But a change of emphasis calls those responses into question. In early 2003, NBC News and the Wall Street Journal pollsters asked whether stimulating the economy or controlling the deficit should be the greater priority for the president and Congress. Stimulating the economy was preferred by more than two-to-one. In February 2003, when the Pew Research Center asked two questions about how to pay for proposed increases in military and homeland defense spending, a plurality in one question said they preferred to pay for the increases by postponing or reducing tax cuts rather than reducing spending on domestic programs or adding to the budget deficit. In the other formulation, people were much less likely to want to raise taxes to pay for the increased expenditures and preferred to add to the deficit or reduce spending on domestic programs. Although it's tempting to say that you can prove whatever you want with poll questions about the deficit, our review of questions about it in three different periods (the mid-1940s, the early 1980s, and the late 1990s on) show that there is a structure to people's beliefs about it.
Studying question wording can yield interesting insights. The Republicans may have an advantage with the public on holding taxes down or holding the line on taxes, but not on cutting them. Recent questions show that neither party has a consistent advantage when people are simply asked about "taxes."
It is important in interpreting survey results to know how strongly or intensely people feel about things. In a Harris question asked six times since 1970, roughly 60 percent say that they have reached "the breaking point" on taxes -- a pretty serious indictment. Another question asked by Gallup more than thirty times since 1947, almost always shows that majorities say their taxes are too high. Yet, when Gallup asks people to name the most important problem facing the nation, taxes (or the deficit) hardly ever takes the top spot. In polls in early 2004, concern about the tax burden pales in comparison to concern about war, terrorism, or the economy.
Here's another area where intensity matters. Since the questions were first asked in the 1970s, as this document shows, people have consistently told pollsters that the rich do not pay their fair share of taxes. People have long told the pollsters that Republican policies favor the rich. In 2003, in every poll we've seen, substantial proportions give that response about President George W. Bush's tax plans. But it is hard to know how politically consequential the sentiment is. In the January 2004 Gallup, CNN, USA Today poll, 57 percent approved of the job George W. Bush was doing handling taxes. The March 2004 ABC News poll found 50 percent approving and 47 percent disapproving. The March 2004 Princeton Survey Research Associates/Newsweek poll found disapproval outweighing approval (49 to 43 percent). If people felt strongly that the Bush tax plan is a sop to the rich, wouldn't disapproval of his job on the issue consistently outweigh approval?
Timing is another important issue in surveys. In 1979, when the economy was in bad shape, Americans wanted to do whatever could be done to get it back on track again. Sixty-two percent told Gallup that it was important to cut taxes even if it meant postponing important things that needed to be done. Only 12 percent disagreed. When the economy was humming along in 1999 and the identical question was asked, 21 percent said we should cut taxes, but 59 percent disagreed.
Finally, the data in this report are national-level data, and they don't capture the views of partisans who often drive the debate on tax issues. If we were to look only at the views of self-identified Republicans or Democrats on tax issues, the results would look different. There are important differences between voters and national samples on tax questions, too.
For these reasons and others, polls shouldn't be used to make policy whether the issue is eliminating double taxation of dividends or going to war. They are simply too crude for that purpose. They are useful, however, to understand the general attitudes Americans bring to an issue as consequential as taxes. That is what this document intends to show. It will be updated regularly, and new sections will be added to it.
_____________________________________________________________________
In 2003, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research Inc. (Dem.) conducted two
polls on peoples' attitudes toward taxes as part of a series in
National Purpose studies sponsored by Public Interests Projects.
Stanley Greenberg and Anna Greenberg provided commentary for the July
report, Transforming the Tax Debate and the November report,
Taxes, Government, and the Obligations of Citizenship. For more
information, go to
http://www.greenbergresearch.com/campaigns_us/publications.php
_____________________________________________________________________
Key
ACIR = U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations
SRBI = Schulman, Ronca, & Bucuvalas Inc
The data in this report come from the archive of public opinion polls
at AEI and from
The Roper Center's archive at the University of Connecticut in
Storrs, Connecticut.
The Roper Center is the oldest and largest archive of public opinion
data in the world.
To learn more about the Roper Center, visit
http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/.
_____________________________________________________________________
- Institutional AuthorsAmerican Enterprise Institute
- Subject Area/Tax Topics
- Jurisdictions
- LanguageEnglish
- Tax Analysts Document NumberDoc 2008-14365
- Tax Analysts Electronic Citation2008 TNT 126-73