New Polling: Republican Plan to Gut Vital Programs, Shower Ultra-Wealthy With Tax Breaks is Unpopular With Voters

“Voters are clear about what they want: Lower prices, better jobs, vital programs protected and expanded, and for the wealthy to pay their fair share in taxes.”

This week, as first reported by Politico, Groundwork Collaborative and Student Borrower Protection Center released a new poll from Data for Progress showing that voters overwhelmingly oppose Republicans’ plans to pass massive tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and corporations at the expense of even more unpopular cuts to programs families rely on.

Respondents said they want to protect or even increase funding for many of the programs that Republicans are putting on the chopping block, including Medicare and Medicaid, federal student loans and grants, nutrition assistance, and renewable energy and energy-efficiency programs.

“Voters are clear about what they want: Lower prices, better jobs, vital programs protected and expanded, and for the wealthy to pay their fair share in taxes,” said Elizabeth Pancotti, Managing Director of Policy and Advocacy for Groundwork Collaborative. “And yet, Republicans in both chambers of Congress are working overtime to achieve the exact opposite. Whether one bill or two, House and Senate GOP members are aligned on wanting to cut lifesaving programs in order to enrich their billionaire friends and donors, and voters are taking note.”

“Congressional Republicans’ budget proposals will cut taxes for their billionaire buddies by raiding the pockets of Americans with student debt and families already struggling to pay for college,” said Aissa Canchola Bañez, Student Borrower Protection Center Policy Director. “This polling makes it crystal clear: voters overwhelmingly reject efforts to cut critical supports that working families rely on. Donald Trump and Republicans in both chambers talked a big game about lowering costs, but today their actions speak louder than words.”

Voters were particularly opposed to gutting vital programs in order to fund tax breaks for the wealthy. In fact, the majority believe that the wealthiest Americans and corporations pay far too little in taxes, suggesting that lawmakers would have the strongest mandate to increase revenue by making the wealthiest pay a greater share.

The topline data from the poll are below. Email press@groundworkcollaborative.org to speak with a Groundwork expert about the poll’s findings.

TOPLINES

Energy

• Across party lines, voters support renewable energy and energy-efficiency programs, including 71% of independents and 55% of Republicans.

Education

• Nearly two-thirds of voters do not want to eliminate the current options to pay student loans based on borrowers’ income. Eliminating these options would mean low- and middle-income borrowers and unemployed borrowers will pay significantly more on their student loan bills.
• Voters do not want to see funding cuts for federal student loans and grants, including Pell Grants and Parent or Grad PLUS loans. This includes 56% of Republicans and 70% of independents.
  • Both college (73%) and non-college (71%) respondents think funding should increased or kept the same

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• Voters strongly oppose cuts to vital food assistance benefits. 76% of voters have a favorable opinion of SNAP, including 67% of Republicans and 75% of independents.
  • 81% of people think funding should be increased or kept the same.

Health Care

• Medicare and Medicaid remain hugely popular, and voters oppose cuts to both programs. On Medicare, 90% want to increase funding or keep it the same. For Medicaid, 87% want to increase funding or keep it the same.
• The Affordable Care Act – which Republicans unsuccessfully tried to repeal during Trump’s first term – also remains popular. Nearly three in four voters think ACA funding should be increased or remain the same.

Social Security

• Voters strongly support increasing funding for Social Security, including 67% of Republicans.

Taxing the Wealthy

• There is overwhelming support for taxing the ultra-wealthy and major corporations. 63% of voters oppose tax breaks for the wealthiest households and nearly 70% oppose tax breaks for large corporations – including over half of Republicans.
• Most voters think billionaires, CEOs, and corporations pay too little in taxes. This holds true for Democrats, Republicans, and independents.