Polling Memo: It’s a Spending Problem, Not a Tax Problem

The Bigger Problem: Spending or Taxes?

A few weeks ago Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said it was “almost a false argument to say we have a spending problem.”¹   No really, she did.

The fact of the matter is voters simply do not agree.

A new Resurgent Republic study on voters under 40 shows voters undoubtedly worried about the federal government’s debt and spending problem.  And not only are voters convinced as to what the problem is, they’re also convinced of what it is not.

“…These voters are very concerned about the level of spending and the federal government’s escalating debt. They may have different ideas as to how to solve the problem, but they agree with the premise that Washington spends too much and that the problem is not that taxes are too low.” ²

In fact, when asked which is the bigger problem with the economy, government spending or low taxes, nearly eight in ten voters said the bigger issue is that government spends too much.³

And, while Republicans have proposed two sensible solutions to the President‘s irresponsible spending addiction and devastating sequester, Obama and his Democrats continue down the road of denial and blame – and remain part of the problem.

¹    “It’s almost a false argument to say we have a spending problem.” (Fox News Sunday, 2/10/13)

²    Resurgent Republic’s Beyond the Ballot Series:http://www.resurgentrepublic.com/research/less-spending-and-more-government-the-conflicting-views-of-voters-under-40

³    POLLSTER: Tarrance Group for Public Notice

      DATE: Conducted 1/13-16/2013

      SAMPLE: Sampled 805 Registered Likely Voters; MoE ±3.5%

      SOURCE: http://www.bankruptingamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Public-Notice-National.-Key-Findings.pdf