Sunday's agreement between President Obama and Republicans in Congress to extend the Bush-era tax cuts for ALL Americans may not satisfy everyone, but according to the latest Economist/YouGov Poll, it does allow Congress to proceed with other business, which many Americans would like it to do during its December session.
Only 30% of the public favors extending the Bush-era tax cuts for all Americans, while just under half favor an extension ONLY for those earning less than $250,000 a year. Fewer than one in ten would have eliminated all extensions.
Relatively few (18%) agreed with the Congressional Republican position to postpone votes on all other legislation until those tax cuts were extended. More than twice as many (39%) wanted votes to proceed on all other matters. The public mirrors the legislative divide on this: Republican want to extend tax cuts for all and not vote on other legislation until that is passed. Democrats disagree.
One of the most popular of the various pieces of legislation Congress could consider this month is the one that became part of the Republican-Obama agreement: extending unemployment benefits for those whose benefits are about to run out. Americans support this 48% to 28%, and about half said this was important enough to vote on even before tax cut legislation was agreed to.
Congress is considering some of the following policies. Which do you support?
| Support | Neither support, no oppose | Oppose | Not sure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Extending unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed | 48% | 15% | 28% | 9% |
The Paycheck Fairness Act which makes it illegal for employers to pay unequal wages to men and women performing equal work | 67% | 14% | 11% | 8% |
A ban on Members of Congress directing spending projects to their own states or districts, known as "earmarks" | 62% | 14% | 15% | 9% |
Overhauling the food safety inspection process and authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to order mandatory food recalls | 62% | 14% | 13% | 10% |
Ratification of the START treaty to reduce American and Russian nuclear stockpiles | 50% | 19% | 16% | 15% |
There is other legislation on the agenda that is even more popular than extending jobless benefits: food safety, ratifying the START Treaty with Russia, abolishing the Congressional practice of earmarks, and assuring equal pay to men and women doing the same jobs. But extending unemployment benefits is seen as more urgent than ratifying the START Treaty or strengthening the Food and Drug Administration to improve food safety.
Which pieces of legislation should the Senate vote on, even if it has not voted on extending the Bush-era tax cuts for ALL income levels and funding the government? Please check all that apply.
| Should vote | |
|---|---|
Ratification of the START treaty to reduce American and Russian nuclear stockpiles | 37% |
The DREAM Act, to allow immigrant students who arrived illegally as minors to apply for temporary legal status if enrolled in college or the military | 32% |
Extending unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed | 51% |
“Cap and trade” legislation to lower pollution | 30% |
Repeal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” to allow openly gay men and women to serve in the military | 37% |
Overhauling the food safety inspection process and authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to order mandatory food recalls | 42% |
None of the above | 28% |
One argument Republicans in Congress have made about extending tax cuts has made no impression on the public: that extending tax cuts for those earning more than $250,000 a year would increase jobs, while not extending them would cost jobs. A plurality of Americans sees no relationship between the two (overall, only about a third agree with the Republican Congressional leadership on this); Republicans, however, believe there is.
Photo compliments of Sushiina
