Support For Tax Cuts Collapses In Face Of Domestic Spending Desires

By More Than a 2-to-1 Margin, Americans Willing To Delay Tax Cuts To Provide More Money For Domestic Spending

Between February 15 and February 17, 2002, Ipsos-Reid U.S. Public Affairs interviewed a representative sample of 779 registered voters nationwide by telephone. The margin of error is + 3.6%

Washington, DC (February 20, 2001) - By more than a 2-to-1 margin, Americans say they'd be willing to delay the tax cuts promised by President Bush to provide more money for a range of domestic programs currently under consideration in Congress. Seventy-six percent say they'd give up a tax cut to provide more money for prescription drug benefits for the elderly. Seventy-two percent say improving education for students from kindergarten through college should come first, and more than two-thirds (68%) say extending unemployment benefits for displaced American workers should go ahead of tax cuts.

Willingness to delay the tax cuts is highest among women, minorities, Democrats and those who describe the current economy and their own personal financial situation as weak and those concerned about their job security.

Older respondents (65 and older) are especially willing to delay tax cuts if it means more money for prescription drug benefits (87%). Strong support for prescription drug benefits is also seen among those making less than $25,000 a year (81%) and among non-college educated respondents (82%).

Younger (18-34) and older (65+) Americans are among the most willing to put off the tax cut if it means extending unemployment benefits for displaced workers (74% respectively). Support for putting unemployment benefits ahead of tax cuts was highest in the Northeast (73%), among those making less than $25,000 a year (73%) and those in union households (72%).

Willingness to spend money on education rather than tax cuts was highest among 18-34 year olds (85%).

To view the latest poll results and research from Ipsos Public Affairs please go to: http://www.ipsos-reid.com/us/media/content/pre_rel.cfm

The survey was conducted by Ipsos-Reid U.S. Public Affairs, the Washington, D.C.-based division of Ipsos-Reid, which is part of the world's fourth largest polling and market research organization, the Ipsos group, based in Paris. Ipsos-Reid U.S. Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective public affairs research organization made up of Democratic and Republican campaign and political polling veterans. It was established in Washington in August 2001, and it is led by Thomas Riehle, who has more than 15 years of experience as a political pollster in Washington.

    For more information, please contact: Thomas Riehle, President, Ipsos-Reid U.S. Public Affairs 202-463-7300 tel [email protected]

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