Selzer & Company for Bloomberg. 12/4-12/7. U.S. adults. MoE 3.1%. (No trend lines)
The U.S. Congress is considering whether to renew most or all of the Bush tax cuts that expire at the end of December. In your view, what action would be best for the U.S. economy?
‐ Extend the tax cuts permanently for all income levels: 19%
‐ Extend the tax cuts permanently for the middle class but not for those earning $250,000 a year or more: 34%
‐ Permanently extend the tax cuts for the middle class and extend for only two years the tax cuts for the highest income earners: 16%
‐ Let all tax cuts expire as scheduled and return rates to previous levels to help cut the deficit: 27%
‐ Not sure: 4%
Just 35% think extending millionaire tax cuts is a good economic idea -- and only 19% want to do so permanently.
Meanwhile, 61% think allowing millionaire tax cuts to expire is a good economic idea -- including 34% who favor extending middle-class tax cuts but not millionaire tax cuts.
However, only 27% favor expiring all the tax cuts. With 4% unsure of what they think, that means 69% think extending middle-class tax cuts is a good idea.
The question is whether they are fine with having been taken hostage in order to get them.