High-Income Obama Voters Unsure About Big Government and Stimulus Bill

By Michael Barone, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

What does the public think about the stimulus package that has been passed by the House? Pollster Scott Rasmussen reports that currently 42 percent favor the stimulus package and 39 percent are opposed—a pretty close result. Last week he reported that the public favored the stimulus package (presumably as it was then constituted) by a 45 to 34 percent margin. I think we can conclude that the balance has shifted slightly. Interestingly, Rasmussen reports that higher earners tend not to support the stimulus package, even though Obama ran even with John McCain among high earners and was actually ahead among voters making over $200,000. Tentative conclusion: Some significant quantum of high income Obama voters are queasy about big government spending programs. The verdict on a stimulus program that is entirely tax cuts? Almost the same as to the Obama package: 43 percent in favor, 39 percent against, although of course different segments of the electorate respond very differently to the two approaches.

• Read more by Michael Barone.
• Read more from the Thomas Jefferson Street blog.
• Read more about economic stimulus.