American Attitudes on the Poor and the Deficit: A Collection of Public Opinion Responses from Spotlight

Few debates right now are more contentious than how government should respond to growing poverty during a time of unprecedented enthusiasm for fiscal austerity. The media and politicians on both sides of the aisle regularly make assumptions about public perception on this polarizing issue. But are they right?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />

 

A new Spotlight report, “American Attitudes on the Poor and the Deficit: A Collection of Public Opinion Responses,” provides important answers. It compiles some 70 public polling questions from major opinion surveys over the past three decades to determine the public response to questions that draw connections between low-income people, the programs that serve them and the deficit.

 

The report also takes a deeper dive into the attitudes of specific subpopulations, including how people at different income levels react to questions regarding the budget, perceived budgetary problems and proposed solutions.

 

Some of the findings confirm key trends about public anxiety over the deficit, but others provide critical insight into the diversity of opinion on these topics. Among the reports key findings:

1.     Americans of all income levels are worried about the impact of federal budget problems on their families, but low-income Americans earning less than $30,000 a year are substantially more concerned than wealthier Americans about the impact of across the board cuts on their family۪s future

A “great deal” or “quite a bit” concerned about

<$30,000

$30,000-$49,999

$50,000-$74,999

>$75,000

How our federal budget problems impact you and your family۪s future

79%

79%

86%

78%

How major cuts across the board to reduce spending impact you and your family۪s future

79%

61%

60%

53%

(NBC News, Wall Street Journal Survey. Conducted by Hart and McInturff Research Companies. National poll of 1,000 adults, February 24-28, 2011.  Data provided by The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, University of Connecticut.)

 

2.     A plurality of Americans (35 percent) favor cutting important programs to eliminate the deficit, but only 23 percent of the lowest earners making less than $30,000 a year agreed with this approach.  Among those of all income levels who favored cuts to important programs, 51 percent were Republicans, 34 percent were Independents and 16 percent were Democrats.

 

(NBC News, Wall Street Journal Survey. Conducted by Hart and McInturff Research Companies. National poll of 1,000 adults, January 13-17, 2011.  Data provided by The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, University of Connecticut.)

Please click here to view the full report.

Posted by Mike
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Here at Out of the Spotlight, we offer a behind-the-scenes look at the latest news and information essential to anyone working to fight poverty. From key political appointees to clashes over policy, we cover the news that doesn’t always make the evening news. Check out Out of the Spotlight for our take on the twists and turns of the latest political developments and their impact on poverty reduction. Topics and ideas are welcome! Just contact mlaracy@aecf.org or watersboots@hotmail.com