More Americans Like Higher Taxes on Wealthy over Punishing the Unemployed to Pay for Payroll Tax, Unemployment Benefit and Medicare Doctors’-Reimbursement Compromise Congress succeeded in reaching a compromise on extending the payroll tax cut through the end of 2012 before the February 29 deadline for the payroll tax cut’s demise, and also extended unemployment benefits and higher reimbursements for doctors treating Medicare patients, according to the latest Economist/YouGov Poll (Week of 2/11/2012).  Good thing:  60% of Americans are satisfied or enthusiastic about the current 4.2% payroll tax rate, and 54% would have been dissatisfied or angry to see the rate ... read more

For Democrats and Liberals, Failure to Get a Tax Increase on People Earning $250,000 or More May be a Deal Breaker.  On the topic of taxing the rich, Democrats seem to enjoy an enthusiasm gap over Republicans.  Four-in-five Democrats (80%) and liberals (84%) favor increasing taxes on families making over $250,000 per year.  Only 8% of Democrats and 4% of liberals oppose taxing high income Americans, according to the latest Economist/YouGov Poll (Week of 2/11/2012). By contrast, among Republicans 34% favor and 52% oppose; among conservatives, the same (34% favor, 52% oppose). For Democrats, failure to push for higher taxes ... read more

More Americans are concerned about the growing income gap they see between more successful Americans and average Americans than are concerned about seeing successful American and average Americans no longer treat each other as equals.  Most Americans see reasons for concern in both directions. (Week of 1/28/2012) What concerns you more these days?  More than one-in-three (37%) say both are cause for concern.  Add it all up, and 62% say income inequality is more of a concern or both gaps are worrisome; 50% say social inequality is more of a concern or both gaps are worrisome.  Overall, only 24% ... read more

In the most recent Economist/YouGov poll (week of January 21, 2012), 23% rate the economy as getting better, 34% worse, for a net score of -11 among adults nationwide.  That’s a little worse than where things stood one year ago (week of January 20, 2011), when the net score was -5 overall. Hispanics, young people, college graduates, people in the Northeast are all groups that moved from a net positive score a year ago to a net negative score today.  Similarly, high income Americans moved from a very positive net score a year ago to a barely positive net score ... read more

Intelligent (57%) High Scores Across the Board.  Bold (30%) Relatively Higher Scores with Republicans, Independents than with Democrats, Liberals              When asked whether they associate President Obama with each of 14 positive attributes, Americans nationwide associate him most with “intelligent” (57%) in the most recent Economist/YouGov poll (week of January 21).  Almost all Democrats (83%) and liberals (84%) credit Obama with being intelligent, and so do significant numbers of Moderates (65%), Independents (56%), and even Conservatives (43%) and Republicans (37%).  The gap in perceptions by party or ideology is wide, but some credit comes even from those outside his party. The ... read more

Tea Party followers vote primarily in Republican primaries, of course, just as their counterparts in the Occupy Wall Street movement mostly participate in Democratic primary elections. [Link to archives: January 21-24, 2012] Neither group is particularly partisan.  That is why each group places more importance on personal, candidate-related factors in choosing candidates for President.  Since their loyalties are to the issues that motivate them and to each other, above political party, it is not surprising to see that both Tea Party Followers and Occupy Wall Street Followers place more importance than all adults do on a potential candidate’s intelligence and ... read more

President Obama enjoys a big likeability advantage over the current frontrunner for the Republican nomination for President, Mitt Romney in the most recent Economist/YouGov poll of adults nationwide [link to archives: January 14-17, 2012].    In terms of basic feelings, 42% have a favorable impression of Obama, 43% unfavorable, with 15% neutral.  For Romney, 28% have an overall favorable impression, 37% unfavorable, 35% neutral. Obama’s advantage over Romney is even more clear when adults are asked whether they like or dislike each:  For Obama, 66% like him personally, 23% dislike him, 11% are not sure.  For Romney, 44% like him, 28% ... read more

Occupy Wall Street claims 12% as “members,” and the Tea Party claims 13% in the most recent Economist/YouGov poll of adults nationwide [link to archives: January 14-17, 2012].    Overall, 29% support and 36% oppose the Tea Party, and when it comes to Occupy Wall Street, 32% support and 28% oppose.   TEA PARTY VS. OCCUPY WALL STREET   Tea Party Occupy Wall Street Member of....... 13 12   SUPPORT OPPOSE SUPPORT OPPOSE   29 36 32 28 Photo source:  Press Association Economist/YouGov poll archives can be found here    read more