Public Opinion Strategies looks at its latest numbers and contends Obama’s sales pitch for his jobs plan and tax hikes just isn’t working:
Since President Obama has been out there campaigning for his jobs plan, opposition has grown and support has not moved upward. The biggest challenge the President has is that Independents oppose the plan by twenty points. Voters reject the idea that Congress should pass the bill right now, and instead support Congress taking a closer look at the jobs plan to make sure the ideas will work before money is spent on them. There is clear consensus on Congress slowing down and doing it right. And, nearly half of the electorate think Obama’s math is fuzzy — 46% say now is not the time to raise taxes in a bad economy because it will hurt small businesses and business owners, while a similar 48% say that corporations and the rich are not paying their fair share of taxes and that tax increases will help cut the deficit and pay for important programs.
The polling you cite is outdated as of Monday.
The foundation of the Republican Party is trickle-down economics, which depends on an endless supply of tax cuts for the wealthy and tax loopholes for corporations. Why do you think so many Republicans sign Grover Norquist's ridiculous pledge? It's not because Norquist is so charming. It's because enriching America's rulers thrugh the tax code is the glue that holds the party together, much as anti-communism was back in the day. If Republicans agree to close even one loophole, God knows what they might be expected to do next. And they'll never risk it.
On Monday President Obama made his jobs plan subservient to his tax plan, which is smart politics. "Class warfare" is actually quite popular.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf you believe what you posted, then shouldn't part of Obama's plan be to reform the tax code and elimimate the loopholes, deductions, tax credits and shelters? It doesn't matter how high the tax rate is if millionaires and billionaires can insulate their earnings from being taxed.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseClass warfare is toxic and un-Americnan just like o'bumbler's trickle up poverty. BHO Jr. learned his lessons well sitting in jeremiah wright's church for 20 years.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWow, you've got a live one there, Jim! At least maksutov clarified that this is really about punishing some of the population rather than actually improving the economy.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"The biggest challenge the President has is that Independents oppose the plan by twenty points."
Which is about the same as Obama's overall approval rating among independents. I think these poll results are merely another referendum on Obama -- there really is no "plan" yet, so people can't be reacting to actual policy details that don't exist.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePolls also show popular support for raising taxes on the very wealthy...polls Mr. Geraghty seems to "forget" to discuss.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDo you consider annual earnings of $250,000 that supports a family of six and a small business "very wealthy?"
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo for people who want to tax the very rich, you are going to start increasing the taxes on capital gains and revoke the tax exempt status of local and state bonds right? Like Obama is doing with his proposals...Oh, wait, he doesn't. Sorry about that.
And what is very rich? At the beginning, being very rich was anyone making 200K a year...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNotice how those who support raising taxes don't mention spending cuts. In other words, let's raise taxes on some Americans so the government can continue to spend money on the rest of us.
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