Poll: Most back raising taxes on millionaires

CBS

CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto.

Six in ten Americans believe Congress should raise taxes on Americans earning more than $1 million per year, according to a new CBS News poll, while only 35 percent oppose such an increase.

A narrow majority of Republican primary voters say those making more than $1 million per year should not see an increase -- but they are nearly split on the question. Forty-three percent want to see taxes on millionaires increased, and 51 percent do not.

Most GOP primary voters - 55 percent - don't think such a tax increase would have a negative impact on job creation. Twenty-nine percent say such a tax hike would hurt job creation.

Democrats initially proposed paying for an extension and expansion of the payroll tax cut with a 3.25 percent tax on income in excess of $1 million - a position they eventually dropped amid opposition from Republicans.

The new CBS News poll also looked at the race for the Republican presidential nomination. While Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney were atop the poll with 20 percent support each, the survey found widespread dissatisfaction among GOP voters, nearly 40 percent of whom are undecided or would prefer a candidate who is not in the race. Read about that portion of the poll here.

And below, you can see more findings from the survey, which was conducted from December 14-18:

President Obama's approval rating

Obama Approval Rating

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President Obama's approval rating now stands at 47 percent, with 44 percent disapproving. His approval rating is up slightly from the 44 percent figure earlier this month, though it's important to note the three percent difference is within the poll's three point margin of error.

Mr. Obama's approval rating on the economy - which voters overwhelmingly identify as their most important issue - is just 40 percent. A majority of Americans, 53 percent, disapprove of his handling of the economy.

The president fares better on foreign policy, where 51 percent of Americans approve of his performance and just 32 percent disapprove.

Unsurprisingly, Republicans take a dim view of the president. Just 11 percent approving of his performance overall, and just eight percent approving of his handling of the economy.

The silver lining for Mr. Obama? The executive branch of government is more popular than the legislative one. Only 11 percent of Americans - including a mere nine percent of Republican primary voters - approve of the way Congress is handling its job. Eighty-three percent disapprove.

Meanwhile, only one in four Americans - and just five percent of Republican primary voters - says the country is headed in the right direction. Sixty-nine percent say the nation is on the wrong track.

Illegal immigration

One of the fault lines in the race for the Republican presidential nomination has been what to do with illegal immigrants who currently live and work in the United States. Newt Gingrich has said he would allow for some illegal immigrants who have lived in the United States for 25 years to remain in the country, a position Mitt Romney has criticized as amounting to an invitation to come to the country illegally.

One in four Americans say illegal immigrants now working in the United States should be forced to leave the country - including 37 percent of Republicans primary voters.

But 44 percent overall would allow them to stay and apply for citizenship, and 26 percent would have them stay as guest workers.

A majority of Republican primary voters favor one of those two options. Thirty-one percent would allow illegal immigrants now working in the United States to stay and apply for citizenship, while 29 percent favor allowing them to stay as guest workers.

MORE FROM THE POLL: Poll shows GOP voters still looking for answers

Read the complete poll

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This poll was conducted by telephone from December 14-18, 2011 among 992 adults nationwide.

893 interviews were conducted with registered voters and 291 with voters who said they plan to vote in a Republican primary. 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 margin of error for the sample of registered voters could be plus or minus three points and six points for the sample of Republican primary voters. The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

[Mike3215]

Here's the math:

Let's say you raise the tax bracket for the 1% from 35% to 50%. That would net the government an extra $65 billion. The current deficit is $1.3 trillion.

Don't spend it all in one place!

[carolo43]

People have been saying this for months. Guess the GOP hasn't heard them yet or read even one poll.

[lg144]

GOP = GREEDY ONE PERCENT

99 Reasons To Snub Republicans In 2012

We Snub Republicans 2012

[Barry_H_Entai]

Why do Conservative Republicans hate fiscal responsibility?

[gep1955]

Go ahead and make sure your boss pays more to the government. That means Obama will have the money needed to pay for your welfare and food stamps after you're laid off because your boss can't afford all his workers anymore. You class envy people are morons.

[tryhonesty]

When there are MILLIONAIRE TAX CUTS,

YOU and I get a TAX INCREASE.

[Barry_H_Entai]

You obviously have never heard of Republican Tax Cut Magic.

Just click your high heels together, close your eyes, cover your ears, and repeat these words, "tax cuts for the rich pay for themselves, but anything that benefits the some or all of 99% hurts the country!"

[tenbender]

Again Barry, Bush cut taxes on everyone. Naturally someone making a million will get a bigger break than someone making $50.000. 35% of 50 is 17,500. 35% of a mill is 350,000. It's not like the guy with a million only pays 17,500 !

[outsidewashington]

As the likes of John Boehner,Eric Cantor and Smitch Mcconnell would say...how will we know that we're rich if we don't keep the masses poor. A friend of mine took over his fathers business that was slowly going down. He told me his father only believed in paying minimum wage to the staff. As he described it everything was relevant....he had minimum people performing at a minimum level. He reduced the staff by 20 % the first year with no change to his total payroll costs. After that he hired quality people and the word got out that his firm was a good place to work. As he expanded the business he attracted a better class of applicants. The union never got their foot in the door

[AdelbertAmes]

Simplistic tax remedies will not straighten out the economy. Yes, hitting the rich with tax bills gives people a nice warm feeling but it won't cure society's ills. Quit spending trillions on foreign wars that have done nothing to protect America. Neocon foreign policy failed! The theory was wrong, get used to it. Forget benign hegemonies, forget regime change, forget exporting democracy. Before the world 'gets fixed' America needs some repair work. Spend the money at home on infrastructure. That creates real jobs. A new New Deal for America NOW!

[RobAla]

People are all about the federal government taxing someone else, and most people are not millionaires. It is as simple as that. This is not rocket science.

[chezemd]

Well I am new at this ringing in on topics but here goes nothing.
When i get my pay check every 2 weeks, it pains me to see just how much is taken out and i am left to survive on. makes me sick when I see on the news that congress gets an astounding $725,000 vs our $20,500. I cry when i go to the grocery store and spend $50.00 - $100.00 and come home with only 10 to 20 items in my bags. It hurts to have to put $50.00 in my tank a week.

$725.00 every 2 weeks is just not enough to live on when you add rent,electric,car insurance, propane gas to heat with . you have to have a phone(work requires it). after all is said and done you might have enough for food. Forget new shoes, clothing, medicine if you get sick cause the insurance you have at work sucks and you now pay more out of pocket.

God forbid you got sick and had to be hospitalized. (you might as well just die it would be cheaper). I don't understand how the wealthy can even complain about being taxed more. You already don't have the same concerns that we have.

Anyway lets talk about being fair not that life is ever fair, but how about this fair tax act? everyone across the board taxed the same. money is still raised to pay off the debt. the wealthy are still wealthy, the poor could afford to live. so you don't get your little deductions. you get to survive which in my book is way more important than your write offs that you cling to so dearly.

And as for the elction coming up....I'm scared... scared because none of the candidates are really bringing anything new to the table...same ole politics that got us where we are now.
When i go to the polls I will probably close my eyes, point my
finger on the button and pray who ever I selceted will do better.
Cause you are all a big disappointment in my eyes.

OH yea, being i helped elect all of you I hold myself incontempt as well. I bought all your lies. But at the polls One button can fire you..the whole lot of you.