Commentary

Poll–People Blame Overspending for State Budget Crises

Rasmussen has a new poll out asking people about their state’s budget crisis, what caused it and how to solve it. The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on July 5-6, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

–Most Americans report their state currently has a budget crisis, and they continue to blame politicians more than taxpayers for the problem.

–75% say the unwillingness of politicians to reduce government spending is more to blame for current state budget crises than the unwillingness of taxpayers to pay more in taxes. Only 13% take the opposing view and blame taxpayers’ unwillingness to pay more to the government. Another 12% are undecided.

–The majority of adults of all political affiliations blame politicians’ lack of spending cuts for state budget problems. But Democrats are slightly more inclined to criticize taxpayers for their unwillingness to pay more. One-in-three government employees (33%) say taxpayers are to blame more than politicians.

–Consistent polling shows that Likely Voters nationwide prefer a government that provides fewer services but imposes lower taxes to one with more services and higher taxes Most U.S. voters (52%) continue to believe that tax increases will hurt the economy, while just 22% think tax increases are good for the economy.

–Most voters oppose a federal bailout of troubled states.

In other words–Its a spending problem, not a revenue probelm. Stop whining about needing more taxes, make the cuts, move on.