Friday, July 8, 2011

Where is "Middle America" on the issue of cuts vs. taxes?

What's up in Cleveland?

Folks steeped in stereotypes of the Midwest might be surprised by this. The political reality is that a broad spectrum of voters support raising taxes on high earners and oppose cutting so-called "entitlements" as paths to deficit reduction.

Poll of swing state "likely voters" by Public Policy Polling (commissioned by MoveOn, DFA, Credo and Bold Progressives):


TAXING THE WEALTHY
QUESTION: In order to reduce the national debt, would you support or oppose raising taxes on those with incomes over $150,000 a year?
Ohio 66% support 31% oppose
Missouri 58% support 36% oppose
Montana 62% support 34% oppose
Minnesota 67% support 30% oppose

QUESTION: In order to reduce the national debt, would you support or oppose raising taxes on those with incomes over $250,000 a year?
Ohio 72% support 26% oppose
Missouri 67% support 30% oppose
Montana 69% support 28% oppose
Minnesota 71% support 27% oppose

QUESTION: In order to reduce the national debt, would you support or oppose raising taxes on those with incomes over $1,000,000 a year?
Ohio 78% support 21% oppose
Missouri 76% support 22% oppose
Montana 77% support 21% oppose
Minnesota 79% support 19% oppose

QUESTION: Would you support or oppose a proposal that said personal income above $1,000,000 would be taxed at 45%, income above $20,000,000 dollars would be taxed at 47%, and income above $1,000,000,000 would be taxed at 49%?
Ohio 62% support 29% oppose
Missouri 56% support 30% oppose
Montana 56% support 33% oppose
Minnesota 61% support 29% oppose



CUTTING SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, AND MEDICAID
QUESTION: In order to reduce the national debt, would you support or oppose cutting spending on Social Security, which is the retirement program for the elderly?
Ohio 16% support 80% oppose
Missouri 17% support 76% oppose
Montana 20% support 76% oppose
Minnesota 23% support 72% oppose

QUESTION: In order to reduce the national debt, would you support or oppose cutting spending on Medicare, which is the government health insurance program for the elderly?
Ohio 20% support 76% oppose
Missouri 19% support 77% oppose
Montana 24% support 71% oppose
Minnesota 26% support 69% oppose

QUESTION: In order to reduce the national debt, would you support or oppose cutting spending on Medicaid, which is the government health insurance program for the poor, disabled, and children?
Ohio 33% support 61% oppose
Missouri 32% support 63% oppose
Montana 36% support 59% oppose
Minnesota 33% support 62% oppose


 Polling done in late April and early May. Via Winning Progressive

Worried about the "balance"

Jonathan Cohn at The New Republic:
Obama has talked frequently about the need for both parties to make painful decisions (in the debt ceiling showdown) that hurt their constituencies or require compromising core values... But only one party seems to making those painful decisions right now – and, come to think of it, only one party has been making those decisions for quite a while.