Poll: Most want taxes on millionaires increased
CBS
CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto
Most Americans believe that taxes on millionaires should be increased in order to reduce the deficit, according to a new CBS News poll.
Sixty-four percent of Americans said they believe those making a million dollars or more in taxes should pay more. Thirty percent said taxes on such individuals should not be increased. Democrats were extremely likely to support such an increase (83 percent did so), and independents also supported it, 65 percent to 28 percent. On the other side, 54 percent of Republicans opposed such an increase, while 40 percent supported it.
President Obama has proposed a tax increase on those making a million dollars per year or more as part of his deficit reduction plan - the so-called "Buffett Rule" - an idea Republicans deride as "class warfare."
Republicans often argue that increasing taxes on the wealthy will impact job creation. But the new CBS News poll finds that just 18 percent of Americans agree. More - 25 percent - say the increase will actually help job creation. A slim majority - 51 percent - say it will have little impact.
Still, there are mixed signals: Asked the most effective way for the government to get the economy moving, nearly half (47 percent) chose cutting taxes to encourage investment. Fewer - 37 percent - preferred spending more money to create jobs. A majority of Republicans called for tax cuts while a majority of Democrats called for spending to create jobs.
Views of government:
Americans have a highly negative view of the role the government plays in their lives.
Sixty-four percent of those surveyed said the government has a negative impact on the lives of most Americans, an increase of 21 percentage points from the percentage that said so in 2006. Only 13 percent say government has a positive impact on the lives of most Americans. Another 17 percent say it has little impact.
Republicans have the most critical view of government, with 81 percent saying it has a negative impact on most people's lives. But a majority of independents (61 percent) and Democrats (55 percent) felt the say way.
Just one in four Americans say elections make the government pay a good deal of attention to what people think. That's down from 36 percent in 2001 and 41 percent in 1995. One in three say elections make the government pay some attention to the will of the people, while 37 percent say they don't have much impact.
More from the poll:
Poll: Views of Congress (again) hit new low
Poll: 7 in 10 say Obama has not helped economy
Poll: Just 1 in 5 Americans happy with direction of country
Poll: Nearly 2 in 3 want troops in Afghanistan decreased
Poll: Half of U.S. says Afghan war not a success
Read the complete poll (PDF)
This poll was conducted by telephone from September 28-October 2, 2011 among 1,012 adults nationwide. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
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1) more taxation WILL NOT reduce the deficit,
2) we're talking about taxing those earning more than $200,000, NOT 'millionaires'.
A few statistical comments:
1) Of those polled, 95% ARE NOT MILLIONAIRES,
2) Of those polled, 80% WILL NOT BE AFFECTED by the taxation.
In light of these facts, it's interesting to note that:
1)ONLY 64% want more taxation; that barely accounts for the percentage of the population that pays NO TAXES.
Wow, so by the numbers, higher taxes will increase jobs.
Ok, lets really raise them, we need a lot of jobs... so 250% taxes on the rich and we'll have more jobs that we can handle, right?
What do you mean nobody will work when they owe $2.50 for every dollar they make? Raising taxes creates jobs; this is a fool-proof plan here, backed by the numbers. Clearly this is the best plan ever... I love this plan.
The problem with the left like the communist is they are envious of others wealth and use the government to rob them of it so everyone can be equal and miserable. Only the top guys or elitists, say like Obama and his corrupt cronies are privileged like Lenin, Stalin, etc and live in luxury.
Get a clue you jealous socialists on the left. You would be crying a different mantra if you happened to become a millionaire someday.
Fools!!!
August 2009, President Obama said that it is not good to increase taxes on Americans during an economic downturn. He was just blowing smoke - he never meant it. However, it is not a good thing to increase taxes on anyone during an economic downturn. He should have listened to his own words and taken heed.
It is stupid to increase taxes on the only people who are now left with the discretionary funds to invest in private sector business and to purchase goods and services (to support private sector businesses). We need to keep the private sector businesses afloat and we need to keep Americans employed. The government only takes from private sector businesses (via taxes), and the combination of increasing taxes on private sector businesses and the wealthy WILL MAKE FOR EVEN HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT.
President Obama has never been about increasing employment in the private sector, his main priority has always been about the expansion of the federal government - at the expense of jobs in the private sector.