Greenberg-CAF Poll Finds Voters Want Jobs, Not Austerity

Washington, DC – A new post-election poll just released by the Democracy Corps and the Campaign for America’s Future finds a big gulf between the voters who just elected Barack Obama and the Washington and Wall Street elites, who are pushing immediate budget austerity, tax cuts for the wealthy, and a “grand bargain” on the budget.

The poll finds Americans want action on jobs and deficits, but put a priority on jobs first. They want programs for the middle class – and the poor – protected. Voters want the rich and corporations to pay their fair share, and expect Congress to cut wasteful subsidies to entrenched interests – not cut programs for the vulnerable when they turn to deficit reduction.

To see findings of the Greenberg-CAF poll, go to http://ourfuture.org/electionpoll2012.

Statement from Robert Borosage of the Campaign for America's Future:

“Washington is headed immediately into the fiscal showdown, with fierce pressure to use the arbitrary year-end deadline for the termination of various tax cuts and the automatic cut or sequester of some 9 percent of discretionary spending to force a grand bargain.

“Here the president and the Congress are headed into a perilous territory for there is a yawning gulf between the elite consensus in this town and where most Americans are. A multi-million dollar campaign has been launched to mobilize CEOs to support a grand bargain that focuses on deficit reduction.

“Americans are in a far different place.

“Voters are worried about both jobs and deficits. They see the two as the two leading priorities for the President and the Congress.

“But these are not parallel worries.

“Their first priority is to create jobs and get the economy going. Many mistakenly belief that large deficits cost jobs. But when we asked them to chose between work to `grow the economy’ and a plan to `Reduce the deficit’, they chose growing the economy by more than two to one 62-30, a margin of 31 percent, with 55 percent feeling strongly on the first.

“Second, voters disagree strongly with the priorities of the elite consensus, congealing around the president’s deficit commission co-chairs, Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, and his own discussions of a grand bargain with Speaker Boehner. Those discussions suggest a deal that trades cuts in Medicare and Social Security for tax reform that lowers rates for individuals and corporations while gaining revenue by closing loopholes – a sort of Romney lite tax reform.

“But to support that you have to have caught a strain of Romnesia – because you are simply forgetting about where most Americans are.

“When it comes to a deficit reduction plan, Americans have clear ideas:

“They want tax rates to be raised on the wealthy: 68 percent find a plan that did not raises taxes on the rich `unacceptable,’ 70 percent support a plan that raises taxes on the top 2 percent while keeping the taxes of others at the same level. 63 percent would find a plan that continued to tax investors’ income at lower rates than worker’s wages unacceptable, 75 percent would support a plan to create a higher tax bracket for millionaires. 67 percent finds a plan that lowers tax rates on corporations or the rich unacceptable.

“They do not want Social Security benefits cut over time. By 62 to 31, they would find a plan that did that unacceptable.

“They do not want Medicare payments cut or capped: 79 percent, nearly four out of five, find capping Medicare payments forcing seniors to pay more unacceptable.

“By 50-41, they favor a deficit reduction plan that starts with closing loopholes and raising tax rates at the top, and excludes cuts to Medicare and Social Security over one that closes loopholes but `gets entitlement spending under control, including reducing the growth of Medicare and Social Security.’

“By a margin of 30 percent -- 62-30 in a companion poll by the Roosevelt Center – they agree that the deficit is a problem but we should not make major cuts in Social Security and Medicare, as opposed to seeing the “exploding deficit” as “national crisis” that requires “possible future cuts to Social Security and Medicare spending.”

“The Congress has already passed $1.5 trillion in across-the-board cuts in discretionary spending over the next 10 years. The public is very skeptical about this. Most Americans do not share the Ryan scorn for poverty programs providing a `hammock’ for the lazy.

“Three-fourths of the country finds a plan unacceptable if it requires deep cuts in domestic programs without protecting programs for infants, poor children, schools and college aid.

“Moreover they embrace the President’s argument that we should reduce the deficit and invest in areas vital to the economy at the same time. By 70-27, they support a plan to cut wasteful spending and abolish special interest tax breaks and subsidies so that we can invest in infrastructure and technology and make sure we support education, Medicare and Social Security which are key to the middle class. Over a statement that we have to cut spending seriously and that will require across the board reductions in the size of government…including education, Medicare and Social Security.

“This isn’t because they can’t find things they would cut: 89 percent would support a plan that included saving costs in Medicare by negotiating lower drug prices from the drug companies. 65 percent support cutting subsidies to the oil companies, agribusiness and multinationals. Nearly ¾ would cut military spending by ending the war in Afghanistan.

“Despite a bad economy, despite the desire for change, Americans rejected the change offered by the tribune of the 1 percent. They want action on jobs and deficits, but put a priority on jobs first.

“They want programs for the middle class – and the poor – protected. Want the rich and corporations to pay their fair share, and expect Congress to focus on wasteful subsidies to entrenched interests – not the programs for the vulnerable when they turn to deficit reduction.

“Today’s Washington Post contains a full page aid supported by organizations representing the constituencies that helped build the winning coalition. They make it clear that they stand with the American majority. They won’t accept an agreement that sabotages growth, or cuts programs vital to basic family security.

“Their four pillars:

• No deficit reduction until the economy recovers. Good Jobs first
• Roll back tax cuts for the rich – and don’t cut their taxes more.
• No cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits
• Don’t make poverty worse by cutting programs for the most vulnerable

“Those principles speak to the values and opinions of most Americans. Just like the last election, the CEO’s will have more money to raise their voices. But they will be speaking past Americans who have a clear view of how we should proceed – and will want to know which side you are on.”

Graphs and topline results of the Greenberg/Campaign for America’s Future poll are available: www.ourfuture.org/electionpoll2012.