Some Surprising Opinions On Tax Day

April 17th, 2012

Here we are again. That most "dreaded" of "terrible" days has arrived. We have reached the annual deadline to collectively pay for our civilization. What's interesting is that, in spite of the ubiquitous hand-wringing in most media outlets, a vast majority of Americans actually believe they are taxed fairly.
Via Gallup

Over It

Dec 18th, 2011

Via Gallup 12/16/2011

"With the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses serving as the kickoff of voting in the 2012 presidential election campaign, Americans would likely prefer to fast-forward to the end of the campaign than watch it unfold. Given a choice, 70% of Americans say they can't wait for the campaign to be over, while 26% can't wait for it to begin."

The results strike me as odd on one level; How anyone could be under the impression that campaign season had not already begun is a mystery to me. However, that nearly 3/4 of those polled are ready for it to be over comes as no surprise.

The GOP Vs. Republican Voters

Oct 18th, 2011

It is truly amazing just how reactionary the elite leadership of the GOP has become. Not only do they stand in opposition to broad pluralities within our country on the issues, they are actually working against the clearly stated wishes of a majority of their own voters. Steve Benen analyzes the results of a new CNN poll tracking registered Republican opinion:

"Do you favor or oppose "cutting the payroll tax for all American workers"?

Republicans in favor: 58%
Republicans opposed: 40%

Do you favor or oppose "providing federal money to state governments to allow them to hire teachers and first responders"?

Republicans in favor: 63%
Republicans opposed: 36%

Do you favor or oppose "increasing federal spending to build and repair roads, bridges, and schools"?

Republicans in favor: 54%
Republicans opposed: 46%

Do you favor or oppose "increasing the taxes paid by people who make more than one million dollars a year"?

Republicans in favor: 56%
Republicans opposed: 43%"

Anyone who argues that the modern GOP is representative of more than a sliver of the country is probably a member of the GOP in an official capacity.

The Public Is Behind The Occupation

Oct 14th, 2011

Brian Montopoli reports for CBS on some very favorable polling numbers regarding the Occupy movement.

"The conservative criticism of the Occupy Wall Street movement is that it is a "growing mob" (House majority leader Eric Cantor) of "shiftless protestors" (The Tea Party Express) engaged in "class warfare" (GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain) whose grievances - whatever they are - are far outside the political mainstream.

The polls don't back that up.

A new survey out from Time Magazine found that 54 percent of Americans have a favorable impression of the protests, while just 23 percent have a negative impression."

These are ordinary folks.

" An NBC/Wall Street Journal survey, meanwhile, found that 37 percent of respondents "tend to support" the movement, while only 18 percent "tend to oppose" it.

The findings suggest that the right's portrait of the movement as a collection of lazy hippies who need to stop whining - to "take a shower and get a job" (Bill O'Reilly) - isn't resonating with most Americans."

I think the growing attacks from right are a big mistake. I also expect them to get worse.

The Public's Opinion On The Public's Opinions

Sept 26th, 2011

I suppose you could call it a poll about polls. In an recent sampling by Gallup, a larger majority of self-identified Republicans than Democrats feel the country would be better off "if the leaders of our nation followed the views of the public more closely." How that squares with the fact that vast majorities are consistently opposed to specific Republican policy positions when asked is anybody's guess. What's more, the higher the level of education completed by those sampled directly correlates to lower agreement with the supposition.

A Vast Majority Backs Higher Taxes... Still

Sept 19th, 2011

Is the President's call to raise taxes on those who make more than one million dollars a year "class warfare" as so many Republicans have been suggesting? Well, not according to a vast majority of Americans. Period.

Bruce Bartlett did a round up today of every current poll that has asked Americans their opinions on the matter. He notes that "three-fourths of people support higher taxes and only 21 percent support the doctrinaire right-wing position." A screen cap of the results is shown below (the original is interactive and links back to each source).

Shameful Spin

July 28th, 2011

A few nights ago, while monitoring the primetime opinion broadcasts, I began to see wave after wave of Republican elected officials marching past the Fox cameras and touting a recent CNN poll which they said showed that "66% of Americans support 'Cut, Cap and Balance.'" I was, needless to say, a little bit curious about this. I went to read the poll in question. A full examination reveals their claims to be the worst sort of spin. Indeed, their exclamations rise to the levels of naked propaganda.

Here is the actual text of the question and the breakdown of the responses.

At first glance, this might seem impressive. But it is not. In fact, it is a testament to the average citizen's total lack of knowledge about what "Cut, Cap and Balance" would actually legislate.

How do we know this? Because CNN continued to ask more questions. They asked the respondents about specific spending cuts and tax increases. Meaning, they actually put quantifiable policy proposals to the test. What this reveals is that roughly two thirds to three quarters of the electorate is opposed to the entire contemporary Republican mission.

Period.

Government of S&P, By S&P and For S&P

July 28th, 2011

A number of analysts are finally getting around to asking some very sensible questions regarding the power and influence of Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s in the debt limit boondoggle.


Although we probably should have started this conversation months ago, it's better late than never. Robert Reich draws attention to the fact that the "$4 trillion in savings" figure we've been hearing Republicans insist upon day after day is a target specifically set by S&P, an unelected private firm.

Who Bears Responsibility?

June 20th, 2011

This NBC/Wall Street Journal poll conducted from June 9th to June 13th shows a shift towards holding Bush 2 more accountable for our current economic crisis.

It's Getting Better

May 20th, 2011

The journey towards true equality for our LGBT brothers and sisters contiues slowly but surely. Good news today from Gallup:

"For the first time in Gallup's tracking of the issue, a majority of Americans (53%) believe same-sex marriage should be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages. The increase since last year came exclusively among political independents and Democrats. Republicans' views did not change."

Olbermann Examines the "Lotto Nation"

May 6th, 2011

Keith notes that a recent poll confirms his theory as to why so many in the lower middle class are supporting tax policies that exclusively benefit the very wealthy... they are all convinced they're gonna get rich! Eventually. Somehow. Someday.

Gallup: New Low For Tea Party

April 28th, 2011

I am not sure to take heart in the solid "disapprove" numbers or be alarmed that such a high percentage of Americans in times like these still have "no opinion."

From Gallup:
"About half of Americans, 47%, now have an unfavorable image of the Tea Party movement, the highest since it emerged on the national scene."

The Right Hates Obama For Doing What They Want Him To Do

March 22nd, 2011

A CNN poll of American opinion on the Libyan conflict seems to have inadvertently shone a light upon the sheer madness of right wing emotionalism:

Overall, 70% of Americans support the "No-Fly Zone" strategy currently underway. (GRAPHIC BELOW)

Taking a closer look at public opinion on "Obama's handling" of the situation, the views of self identified "conservatives" get just plain preposterous (HT to Dave Weigel):

50% of all voters approve of "Obama's handling"
41% of voters do not approve of "Obama's handling"

63% of Republicans say they disapprove of "Obama's handling" 
76% of Tea Party "supporters" disapprove of "Obama's handling" 

73% of Tea Partiers approve of the "No-Fly Zone"
78% of Republicans approve of the "No-Fly Zone"

Pssst... The "No-Fly Zone" IS "Obama's handling" of the Libyan situation. 

PEW Shows Public Against Gov. Walker

March 1st, 2011

CALL OR WRITE the Wisconsin 14 and tell them not to give up!

From a PEW Poll conducted between Feb 24 - Feb 27: 

"By a modest margin, more say they back Wisconsin’s public employee unions rather than the state’s governor in their continuing dispute over collective bargaining rights. Roughly four-in-ten (42%) say they side more with the public employee unions, while 31% say they side more with the governor.",