The FINANCIAL — Voters think Congress may pass at least some of President Obama’s latest jobs plan but have much more confidence in reducing government regulations to create new jobs.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 38% of Likely U.S. Voters favor the $447 billion plan the president introduced to a joint session of Congress last Thursday evening. Nearly as many (36%) oppose the plan which includes the continuation of certain tax breaks, the passage of several stalled free trade agreements with other countries and new spending for education, infrastructure like roads and bridges and the further extension of unemployment benefits. Twenty-six percent (26%) are undecided about the plan.
A look at the partisan demographics suggests, however, that many voters still don’t know much about the plan and are just reacting to the fact that it was proposed by the president. Sixty-six percent (66%) of Democrats favor it, while 64% of Republicans oppose it. Meanwhile, a plurality (37%) of voters not affiliated with either party doesn’t know enough about it to take a position for or against. Most voters consistently believe that cutting government spending is good for the economy.
Still, 62% of all voters think Congress is at least somewhat likely to approve some of the president’s jobs plan. That figure, however, includes just 17% who think passage is Very Likely. Twenty-nine percent (29%) feel Congress is unlikely to approve any of the plan.
At the same time, just 24% of voters believe increased government spending is more likely to create new jobs than reducing government regulations on business. Sixty-two percent (62%) think reduced regulation is a more likely job creator. Fourteen percent (14%) are not sure which course is better.
The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month slipped a point in August to the lowest level measured in one year. The official national unemployment rate is now 9.1%, and the government recently announced that there was zero percent job growth last month.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 10-11, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
Seventy-eight percent (78%) of voters have followed recent news reports about the president’s plan for creating jobs. That includes 44% who have followed Very Closely.
There’s virtually no partisan disagreement over the likelihood that Congress will agree to at least some of the president’s plan. But while 82% of Republicans and 64% of unaffiliated voters think reducing government regulations is a better job creator than more government spending, Democrats are almost evenly divided on the question.
Seventy-six percent (76%) of Tea Party members oppose Obama’s new jobs plan, while a plurality (47%) of non-members favors it.
As is often the case, there’s wide disagreement between the Political Class and Mainstream voters. Those in the Political Class are nearly twice as likely as those in the Mainstream to favor the president’s plan. Sixty-three percent (63%) of Political Class voters view more government spending as a better way to create jobs, while 70% of Mainstream voters opt for reduced regulation instead.
Voters don’t care much for government regulation of the economy and think it has a bigger negative impact on small business. Voters overwhelmingly prefer a free market economy to an economy managed by the government, and most believe increased competition rather than increased government regulation is the best way to hold big business accountable.
Seventy-three percent (73%) of voters think government and big business work together in ways that hurt consumers and investors. Only 13% disagree.
Sixty-four percent (64%) think thoughtful spending cuts should be considered in every program of the federal government as the nation searches for solutions to the budget crisis.
While the president is proposing increased infrastructure spending as part of his new jobs plan, a plurality (45%) of Americans believes the government should cut spending for roads and highways until the federal budget is balanced.
A plurality (38%) of American workers is still confident their next job will be better than their current one, but most aren’t searching for other work.
www.rasmussenreports.com
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