POLL RELEASES May 1, 2001
No Change in Public Opinion on Desirability of Tax Cuts But expectations of achieving a tax cut have risen
by David W. Moore
GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll conducted last week shows little change in the public's support for a tax cut over the past four months, although expectations that a cut will be enacted appear to have risen. The good news for President Bush is that this centerpiece of his legislative agenda appears to have substantial public support, with 56% of Americans saying they favor the tax cuts he has proposed and just 35% saying they are opposed. Furthermore, by a 54% to 39% margin, Americans approve of the way Bush is handling the issue of taxes.
The bad news for Bush is that his efforts to build support for his tax cut plan -- including a blitz of traveling in his first 100 days to promote it -- have failed to achieve that result. There has been little change in the public's support for a tax cut over the past four months. Further bad news is found in the character of public support for the tax cuts, which generally appears to be for some tax cuts -- not necessarily those proposed specifically by Bush -- and even suggests that, given the changes the public wants in his tax proposal, there may be more opposition than support for it.
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