No More Tax Cuts-Many Americans Would Kill Cuts to Avoid Deficit

ABC News.com ^ | Jan. 22 — , 2002 | ABC

[VRWC_minion]

No More Tax Cuts

Many Americans Would Kill Cuts to Avoid Deficit

Jan. 22 — Canceling George W. Bush's prized tax cut is more popular than keeping it — especially if doing so would help avoid a deficit, finds an ABCNEWS.com poll.

Sampling, data collection and tabulation for this poll were done by TNS Intersearch.

Fifty-two percent of adults say they'd support killing the tax cut "if doing so helped to avoid a deficit in the federal budget," while 32 percent would want the tax cut to go ahead — a 20-point margin in favor of canceling it.

Without the positive attribute of avoiding a deficit, dropping the tax cut is still preferred, but by less of a margin: Among respondents who were asked simply if they support or oppose canceling the tax cut, 45 percent favored canceling it, 36 percent keeping it.

The Tax Cut Dilemma
Measure	Support	Oppose	No Opinion

Cancel the tax cut

45%

36%

19%

Cancel tax cut if it avoids deficit

52%

32%

16%

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., last week urged dropping the tax cut for families with incomes of more than $130,000 a year. It's a sensitive issue for the Democrats, since some of them voted in favor of the 10-year, $1.35 trillion tax cut.

Bush, for his part, has pledged the tax cut will stand.

This poll suggests that the views of Kennedy and his allies are most persuasive when coupled with the risk of a deficit. But a sizable number of people have no opinion on the issue, suggesting that neither side has yet firmly won its case in the public's mind.

Methodology

This ABCNEWS.com survey was conducted by telephone Jan. 17-20, 2002, among a random national sample of 853 adults. The results have a 3.5-point error margin. Sampling, data collection and tabulation by TNS Intersearch of Horsham, Pa.

Previous ABCNEWS polls can be found in our Poll Vault.

[VRWC_minion]

This makes me very nervous.

[DoughtyOne]

Yep, good old ABC to the rescue. What would we do without them?

[thesharkboy]

Fifty-two percent of adults say they'd support killing the tax cut "if doing so helped to avoid a deficit in the federal budget,"

This is probably about the same percentage of adults who do not pay taxes.

[VRWC_minion]

DU reaction thread

Selected comment

NNN0LHI (1668 posts)	Jan-22-02, 03:59 PM (ET)
"ABC poll: Kill Tax Cut To Avoid Deficit"
Have faith people. People are not as stupid as Chimpy would have you think they are. Don Jan. 22 — Canceling George W. Bush's prized tax cut is more popular than keeping it — especially if doing so would help avoid a deficit, finds an ABCNEWS.com poll. Fifty-two percent of adults say they'd support killing the tax cut "if doing so helped to avoid a deficit in the federal budget," while 32 percent would want the tax cut to go ahead — a 20-point margin in favor of canceling it. Without the positive attribute of avoiding a deficit, dropping the tax cut is still preferred, but by less of a margin: Among respondents who were asked simply if they support or oppose canceling the tax cut, 45 percent favored canceling it, 36 percent keeping it.<snip> ...more... http://abcnews.go.com/sections/business

[longleaf]

The American people are economic ignorami. Cancelling the tax cut would surely turn this deep recession into a depression. In fact, further tax cuts may be necessary to prevent that very phenomenon from occurring anyhow. The people have been brainwashed by the fedgov/media consortium.

[FreeTally]

Yeh, Im sure the question is posed as, "Would you rather the government stop spending money to avoid a deficit, or would you rather they keep taking your money to avoid a defict".

[KQQL]

Most not all Americans are scared , stupid morons and that's why this country is in a mess....

[snakebitevoter]

RAISE TAXES?

"NOT OVER MY DEAD BODY"

DEFICITS ARE NOT A PROBLEM,

DEFICITS ARE A CURE!

This is an election year and the opposition’s strategy will be simple. They will attack Bush for using tax cuts to turn a budget surplus into a budget deficit. The socialists know that mounting deficits and mounting federal debt will choke and kill their pet socialist schemes, namely Socialist Security, and Medicare.

So, get ready to see lots of opposition campaign ads featuring dozens of little old Socialist Security and Medicare parasites begging, “Please don’t kill me.”All I can suggest is that you change the channel and try not to throw up.

The only way to KILL THE WELFARE STATE is to starve it. Tired of Socialist Security? Want to end the Medicare Ponzi scheme? Sick of socialist Meicaid programs?

CHOKE THE WELFARE STATE!

SUPPORT MORE TAX CUTS NOW!

Tired of socialist parasites deciding what should be done with your money? Choke them with Federal debt!

BUILD THE DEFICIT HIGHER, HIGHER!

[Mudboy Slim]

This is a Typical LeftWing MakeNews Poll and of no credence to the Present Debate, in which Bush has vociferously pointed out that any change to kill the Tax Cut will be recognized as a Tax Increase, so I wouldn't worry too much about the GOP's knees going wobbly on this one!!

In contrast, I'll go so far as to say the GOP--with Bush leading the way--will run in November on a Platform of Cutting Even More Taxes!! The RATS who run against a Tax Cut--and for Tax Increases--will bear the brunt of the carnage at the polls.

FReegards...MUD

[Cinnamon Girl]

Fifty-two percent of adults say they'd support killing the tax cut "if doing so helped to avoid a deficit in the federal budget,"

Who cares what they think? That 52% needs to get busy trying to understand what Oprah's talking about and leave the economy to people who know how to earn money.

[Corporate Law]

"This is a Typical LeftWing MakeNews Poll"

Perfectly summed up

[hollywood]

"Fifty-two percent of adults say they'd support killing the tax cut..."

Define 'adult', ABC.

[mystery-ak]

Poll Question: Congress voted themselves a raise, are you willing to give up your tax cut and pay more taxes?

[johniegrad]

The data are meaningless without stratifying the results by income and tax bracket. A "random sample" would include the people who pay no taxes and who would be expected to have no stake in the tax cut except to "feel" how unfair it is to them. The ABC news poll is presenting selective data to pursue its own political ends with this article. This is news bias at its worst.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Fifty-two percent of adults

sheeple

[paul51]

If they want to get rid of the deficit, they should reduce spending. The Robin Hood/class warfare approach plays well with the democrats because their constituents are all at the trough.

[VRWC_minion]

It wasn't even registered voters.

[nocommies]

EXACTLY!!! if you dont pay taxes you shouldnt be allowed to vote. we are really going to hell in this sorry country of ours. i hate to say it, but we're screwed up. this was a poll of adults, NOT necessarily THINKING adults. we will ROT by continuing to appeal to our lowest, weakest, sorriest common denominator. oh let me be wrong!! any of these morons ever consider that we should stop funding PORK to avoid a deficit?

[MrCraig]

Bingo! Would love to see the results of that poll.

[BJClinton]

Don't be. You'll notice they didn't bother asking if folks would prefer a cut in the budget to avoid a deficit.