Nearly 43 percent of Americans believe that a combination of spending cuts and tax increases are needed to solve the looming fiscal cliff, reveals a national survey by the Emerson College Polling Society (ECPS). Thirty-seven percent (37 percent) believe cutting spending alone is the best way to handle the deficit; only 8 percent think tax increases are the solution, the survey which has a 3 percent margin of error, revealed.
The poll also showed that people's opinions about Grover Norquist, the president of Americans For Tax Reform, are generally negative, with 35 percent having an unfavorable opinion and only 20 percent having a favorable impression. Felix Chen, international student from China and the Chief Analyst for ECPS concludes the data suggests that Norquist's warning "the GOP to keep their 'fingerprints' off tax-increase deal" has hurt his image, as it runs counter to the plurality of Americans who want a combination of spending cuts and tax increases.
"Our data suggests that Americans want a compromise between tax increases and spending cuts: a solution of every five dollars in spending cuts, for every one dollar in tax increases is a popular compromise for the country to avoid going over the fiscal cliff," said Grey VanDeMark, President of ECPS. Jordan Del Guercio, Director of Communications, adds that raising revenues without spending cuts does not have wide support: "Only 8 percent of Americans think raising taxes is the sole solution, and 55 percent of Americans say they will change their spending habits if tax increases are a result of a deal."
Norquist's famous "no-tax pledge" has drawn the ire of Democrats who identify the activists as the source of Republicans unwillingness to meet Democrats halfway in previous fiscal negotiations. The American people concur. only 25 percent advocate sticking to the no tax pledge, while 62 percent favor raising taxes on the wealthy.
Furthermore, the data, according to Chen, suggests only 42 percent of Republicans believe the GOP should stick to the anti-tax pledge; 35 percent would allow tax increases on the wealthy, and 23 percent are unsure on the tax increase issue. In addition, 66 percent of Independents and 83 percent of Democrats think that tax increases on the wealthy should be on the table during the fiscal negotiations.
