Posted on 10/26/2011 9:56:48 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
A Washington Post/ABC News poll released Wednesday morning found that Americans are divided on tax plans proposed by two of the leading contenders for the Republican presidential nomination, businessman Herman Cain and Texas Gov. Rick Perry. The poll found that a majority of Republican voters favor the flat tax but a majority oppose Cain’s plan.
The poll found only 36 percent of the total population surveyed favoring Cain’s “9-9-9 plan.” The plan, which has become one of the cornerstones of Cain’s campaign, would establish the federal income tax and the corporate tax rate at 9 percent while adding a national sales tax also set at 9 percent. A majority of those surveyed -- 56 percent -- have an unfavorable view of Cain’s plan.
Cain’s plan is upside down among Republicans, with 50 percent seeing it as unfavorable; 41 percent of the Republicans surveyed favor the plan. Since winning the Presidency 5 straw poll in Orlando last month, Cain has rocketed to the top of some national polls and is leading in some crucial early states, including Iowa and South Carolina.
The plan garners lower marks with voters outside the GOP. Thirty-five percent of Democrats favor the plan, while 61 percent see it as unfavorable. Cain’s plan registers similar marks from Independents, with 35 percent favoring it and 58 percent opposing it.
The flat tax -- backed by various presidential candidates over the years including publisher Steve Forbes in his bid for the Republican nominations in 1996 and 2000, and once and future California Gov. Jerry Brown in his bid for the Democratic nod in 1992 -- receives higher marks. Forbes announced earlier this week that he is backing Perry for the Republican nomination.
Forty-seven percent of those surveyed favor a flat tax, while 48 see it unfavorably. The idea does better with Republicans than other voters. A majority of Republican voters in the poll -- 56 percent -- back the idea, 41 percent of them view it unfavorably. Independents are less sold on the flat tax, with 46 percent favoring it and 48 percent seeing it as unfavorable. The idea is less popular among Democrats, with 40 percent favoring the flat tax and 56 percent opposing it.
The poll of 1,019 American adults was taken Oct. 19-23 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percent.
Well, Perry is down to 6% in the polls. So, if Herman gets taken out because GOP Primary voters do not like his 9-9-9 Plan, it’s gonna come down to Romney and Newt. GO NEWT; GO!!
Even with a republican congress, how long, realistically, would it take for either tax plan to get implemented and have an actual impact on the economy?
I want the ‘rats to be taxed to fully fund the Feds. Other’s not Federally taxed (unless we get to control the borders). Perry needs to rework his “plan”.
Washington Post/ABC news?
NOW you’ve got my attention!< /s>
9-9-9 will never pass through any Congress because of the National Sales Tax. The Perry plan would take 6 months to iron out and get to a vote UNLESS there is seriously work done between election and inauguration.
How many of those surveyed were told that this was not an across the board flat tax, just the addition of a new, optional post card sized 1040EZ on top of the current system?
Perry’s tax plan isn’t as good as Newts.
Newts has a lower flat rate.
Perry’s tax plan is very good - WAY better than 999.
Unfortunately for Perry, I don’t really think policy is his current problem. In fact, policy doesn’t seem to be driving the polls hardly at all. As silly as 999 is, Cain has come across as a “happy warrior” and people like him. Perry has not come across well, and I think based on his debate performances many conservatives simply do not like him personally.
On paper Perry is very good on most issues, but there is now a likability deficit that is plaguing him. First impressions are super important, and Perry has to hope people will give him a second look as we get closer to the actual primaries. He will have the money to run a lot of advertising, so that should help.
Personally I think he is the only candidate that can actually stop Romney, so I hope he really improves going forward.
Perry looks like a beady-eyed RINO in this picture...creepy!
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I find these poll results highly questionable. How can people welcome a 20% tax rate compared to 9%? Are they really Democrats? I find a flat tax rate of 20% much higher that what most taxpaying Americans are now putting out for taxes.
I guess that I am missing something. The 20% rate can grow to 50 or 60% rather quickly with our government.
It is no fun or useful to the press to pick on a guy who is in a coma. Perry is comatose. His poll numbers clearly show this.
Perry’s so called radical reform of the tax code is merely a SOP to those that want real tax reform. Primarily it is OPTIONAL!!!! what a joke, Secondly, NOT REVENUE NEUTRAL!!!, Thirdly MUST Do TAXES TWICE.... and on and on and on and on and on and on and on. Don’t get me started on how we get everyone to pay taxes does nothing for that...
This poll was taken days before Perry announced his plan yesterday. Seem Perry is a little late coming to the party.
Nice try though. Most readers will be fooled by this blatant MSM promotion for Perry. By the way, why is the MSM in the boat for Perry?
That's what a leader does.
I like that Cain started the ball rolling on a real and much-needed revisiting of the income tax. I think he deserves a lot of credit for that, and the fact that he was the first to offer a plan -- regardless of whether it is the one that ultimately wins the day -- is one of the reasons that he is my choice.
This election is ultimately going to be about what George HW Bush called "the Vision Thing." And I think that between Romney, Perry and Cain, Cain is the one who is in the best position to offer that to the electorate.
You're really scraping the bottom of the barrel now.
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