Rasmussen Reports™: The Most Comprehensive Public Opinion Data Anywhere

Rasmussen Reports™: The Most Comprehensive Public Opinion Data Anywhere

Most voters (53%) believe increases in government spending hurt the economy, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

While that result is unchanged from last month, it’s up five points from 48% in January.

Just 27% now say increased government spending helps the economy, and 10% say it has no impact.



Most Republicans (73%) and unaffiliated voters (57%) say more government spending is bad for the economy. But a plurality of Democrats (45%) thinks increased government spending is beneficial.

Voters are much more supportive of cuts in government spending as opposed to increases. Almost half of voters (46%) think decreases in government spending help the economy, while 27% say they hurt it.

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President Obama announced Monday his administration’s plans to speed up new government spending authorized in the $787 billion economic stimulus package in order to accelerate job growth. Separate polling finds that 45% of Americans say the rest of the new government spending should now be canceled. A Rasmussen video report shows that 48% of adults do not think new stimulus spending creates more jobs.

When it comes to taxes, voters remain in favor of cutting them. Most (58%) believe tax cuts help the economy, up three points from the end of May. Only 18% say tax cuts hurt the economy, while 15% say they have no impact.

Separate polling finds that 51% of adults favor across-the-board tax cuts for all Americans.

Fifty-three percent (53%) say tax increases hurt the economy, up three points from the last survey. Nearly a quarter (23%) say tax increases help.

More than one-in-three voters (36%) now expect their own personal taxes to go up under President Obama. That ties the highest level found since he was inaugurated in January. Only 14% now expect their taxes to go down under the Obama administration.

Sixty-seven percent (67%) expect government spending to rise under Obama, showing no change from the last poll. Just six percent (6%) think government spending will decrease.

Voters remain fairly evenly divided as to what type of candidate they prefer when it comes to tax policy. While 43% say they would prefer to vote for a candidate who opposes all tax increases, 44% say they’d rather elect a candidate who promises to raise taxes only on the rich.