Today’s Gallup poll found that on a list of 12 voting priorities, raising taxes on the wealthy comes in last place, with 49 percent of respondents saying it’s “very” or “extremely” important.
The first five, in order, are “creating good jobs” (92 percent), “reducing corruption in federal government” (87 percent), “reducing the federal budget deficit” (86 percent), “dealing with terrorism and other international threats” (86 percent) and “ensuring the long-term stability of Social Security and Medicaid” (85 percent). Gallup concludes with this analysis:
Americans’ to-do list for the president on Jan. 20, 2013 — whether it be Obama or Romney — includes creating good jobs, reducing government corruption, and reducing the federal budget deficit. Supporters of both candidates agree about the importance of jobs and corruption, while the deficit is a higher priority for Romney supporters than Obama supporters. In turn, Obama supporters believe the next president should have healthcare, Social Security and Medicare, and public education among his highest priorities.
Job creation has certainly been and will continue to be a major topic during the remainder of the campaign. And both candidates will surely need to outline their plans for reducing the federal budget deficit. However, it is unclear whether government corruption will become a major issue in the campaign, even though Americans see reducing it as an important goal.
The biggest surprise is that “reducing corruption in the federal government” ranks so high. Gallup’s March poll on voter priorities apparently didn’t include that issue in its survey on voters’ top 15 concerns. It would be interesting to know if concerns about government corruption are growing, and if so, if it has anything to do with the actions of the Obama administration. But clearly there seems to be a lot of untapped anxiety about this. The Romney campaign hasn’t spent much time hitting Obama over Fast and Furious and Solyndra, though you can bet with these poll numbers Romney is going to start. Not only is Obama’s biggest campaign issue (taxes on the rich) a nonstarter with the public, the corruption issue is untread territory that’s ripe for GOP attacks.
There must be a natural tendency among voters to see politicians as corrupt. And why not? Mr. Holder had to have Mr. Obama invoke executive privilege to keep Mr. Holder's practices hidden from the American people. Mr. Obama funded failed alternative power enterprises to the tune of hundreds of million of dollars wasted. Stimulus money goes to party cronies such as labor unions or state workers (sometimes they're the same thing) but few new jobs are created. There is so little accountability to the public that people don't have an inkling of what monies have gone where. Let's not mention Fannie Mae and the losses that enterprise has saddled Americans with. n nDoes anyone remember Mr. Obama campaigning in 2008 that his administration would be the most transparent in history? Me either.
Yep I remember that as well he was going to be the most Transparent ever and he is so clear as mud.
Perhaps the best thing about this idea of reducing federal corruption is that it could naturally be folded into (and be featured prominently in) campaign themes by Romney of taking power away from the Federal govt and giving States more rights and responsibilities. Romney could argue (quite accurately) that there is simply way too much power invested in the Federal Monster and that kind of power will inevitably corrupt national politicians (as the Founding Fathers clearly foresaw by limiting– they thought– the powers of the central government). What voter wouldn't like the idea that their own state is going to get large chunks of their own tax money back (Maybe in the form of block grants?) to use according to their own judgment. If you happen to live in a crappy state like Maryland, that's not much comfort. The money will just be wasted by the Leftist goons in Annapolis as usual. But other states will no doubt make good use of it and maybe create enough envy that Marylanders might actually wake up and demand better government. Or, more likely, join the growing exodus of people moving to Virginia and points South.
Raising taxes on the "wealthy" is a major priority for the leftists in our gov't. The fact that regular people aren't as covetous, envious, or grasping as their betters is of no concern to them. Leftists politicians couldn't care less what people want or don't want them to do. Also, I really appreciate the distinction drawn by Thomas Sowell in this matter. Obama and Pelosi don't want to tax high wealth, they want to to tax "high" income.