Want some good news? Outside of Donald Trump, American voters actually share a great number of policy goals being pushed by Democratic candidates, according to new polling conducted for the Center for American Progress and Health Care for America Now by the firm GBAO.
"When it comes to basic attitudes about the economy and public policy—disconnected from the president himself—the study finds wider consensus around the need for active governmental policies to reduce poverty and expand economic opportunity, address health care access and costs, improve education and infrastructure, curb corporate power, and tax the super wealthy," the Center for American Progress writes in a new report on the findings.
As the Washington Post notes, 70% or more of American voters, including GOP majorities, support the following sentiments:
- Getting a college education is too costly and states should work to make college more affordable
- Wealthy families and corporations should be paying a lot more in taxes while middle-class families should be paying less
- People without employer-based health care should have the option of buying into a public plan
- We should spur job creation through a trillion-dollar infrastructure plan that includes investing in traditional construction projects such as roads and bridges and the expansion of green energy production
- We should reduce poverty by ensuring that all families have access to basic needs such as health care, food, and housing if their wages are too low or they can't make ends meet
- We should curb income inequality with 2% wealth tax on net worth exceeding $50 million
What respondents were most divided on was the state of the national economy and Trump's contribution to that. And while Trump considers the economy to be a particular strength for him, about two-thirds of voters polled said their own personal economic outlook had either gotten worse (24%) or stayed the same (40%), with just 34% saying their outlook had improved. So in terms of the age-old question, are you better off than you were four years ago, only about a third of the country could answer that affirmatively, at least in so far as their pocketbooks are concerned.
Finally, the broadest themes that resonated with a wide swath of voters revolved around "taking back" government from special interests and curbing the outsized influence of the rich and powerful so government can work better for everyone.
Indeed, 9 in 10 Democrats, 8 in 10 Independents, and 6 in 10 Republicans agreed with the following statement:
"We need to take back our government from wealthy special interests and make sure it works for all Americans. Government at its best should ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to get ahead in life and has access to affordable health care, good schools, and a secure retirement. Government should work for everyone, not just the rich and powerful."
When's the last time you heard Republicans talking about making the government work for everyone, not just the rich and powerful? You haven't, because that's what Democrats talk about and are working toward as a goal for the nation, even if their paths to getting there look different. Once again, we are reminded that key Democratic goals are broadly popular with voters across the board as Republicans continue their work to enrich the nation’s wealthiest individuals and corporations.