Rasmussen survey says,
Most Americans Not Willing To Pay Higher Taxes For Public Employees, Entitlement Programs
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Adults shows that only 19% would be willing to pay higher taxes to avoid layoffs of state employees. Sixty-nine percent (69%) say they would not be willing to pay more in taxes for this reason. Another 11% are undecided.
Adults feel similarly when it comes to funding entitlement programs. Twenty-two percent (22%) would pay higher taxes to prevent cuts in entitlement programs for low-income Americans. Sixty-three percent (63%) say they would not pay more to keep these programs afloat. Another 15% are undecided.
I have not seen the methodology of the survey, but the people I talk to very much feel the same way.
Both the large numbers of government employees and the entitlement programs are directly related to out-of-control government spending.
And we the taxpayers are “up to here” with that.
James Joyner says,
Amusingly, though, the same people who want more cops want fewer government workers, even though cops work for the government.
James may find it amusing and contradictory but the tax-paying public are tired of bloating bureaucracies getting more bloated, and during a recession/depression as we are in now, a large segment of the population is feeling the squeeze and can’t afford yet another tax hike – which is coming effective January 1, 2011 when the Bush tax cuts expire.
Policemen, however, enforce the law during times of boom and during depressions, when crime is perceived as more likely to increase.
As John Hinderaker points out,
In some states, public employees are undeterred. Illinois is on the verge of bankruptcy, now in worse danger of default, apparently, than California, yet its public employee union members have been awarded pay raises totaling 14% over the next 12 months.
One outstanding exception is the governor of Puerto Rico, who has slashed the government payroll drastically in the past year.
What it comes down to is, it’s not the deficits; it’s the spending
Cut spending, cut taxes, and you promote growth.
Whether you add more policemen or not, that is the underlying issue.
