Good Saturday morning, folks—
In case you missed it in today’s Wall Street Journal, liberal strategists are drawing attention to the weakness of President Obama’s divisive rhetoric on income inequality…
Liberal think-tanker Jim Kessler notes that while such rhetoric “fires up the (liberal) base,” the fact is, “for a lot of average voters, it’s not something they’re thinking about.” Meanwhile, veteran liberal pollster Geoff Garin notes that “many Americans believe it’s becoming more difficult to enter and stay in the middle class, and they want their leaders to address that. But when the issue is presented as income inequality, it ‘doesn’t necessarily strike voters as the most important economic problem facing them today.’” The Journal also notes that many of the President’s allies “worry the phrase income inequality implies support for efforts to redistribute income” — something most Americans don’t support.
The YG Network’s freshly-released national poll supports these admissions, making it clear that the Left’s “income inequality” rhetoric is a farce, a mere distraction from President Obama and his liberal allies’ failure to deliver the real economic growth and job-creation Americans continue to demand.
Here are some key findings from YG Network’s national survey of 1,000 likely 2014 voters, conducted by McLaughlin & Associates from January 14th through 17th:
- By a two to one majority, 64% to 33%, respondents say that expanding economic growth for everyone is more important than narrowing the gap between rich and poor.
- Nearly 6 in 10 respondents, 59%, believe that creating economic growth and new private sector jobs by holding the line on taxes and reducing regulations on businesses is the best way to create new jobs and pay raises for working middle class families. Only one in three respondents, 32%, say raising the minimum wage to $10 an hour is better.
- If the minimum wage is raised to $10 an hour, only 33% say that more jobs will be created. The plurality, 42%, says more low wage workers will lose their jobs.
- Six in ten, 60%, of all respondents say that they prefer allowing states to determine their own minimum wages, because wages and the cost of living are different in each state. Only one in three, 34%, prefer the federal government setting one national minimum wage.
- The majority of respondents, 55%, prefer the federal government focus on policies designed to grow the economy, like lowering energy costs, lowering taxes on small businesses, reducing regulations and cutting spending. Only 39% prefer the federal government focusing on policies that address income inequality, such as continuing to provide long-term unemployment benefits, increasing the minimum wage to $10 an hour and increasing taxes on the wealthy.
- Almost half the respondents, 48%, say that approving the Keystone Pipeline to lower energy costs would have a more positive effect on them and their family than raising the minimum wage, 37%.
- When given a choice between two contrasted positions, the majority of respondents, 53%, supported Congressman B, who says what’s holding back American workers is the high cost of health care, failing schools and outdated government policies. Only one in three respondents, 35%, chose Congressman A, who says what’s holding back American workers is weak labor unions, a low minimum wage and political power of wealthy business owners.
As pollster John McLaughlin writes:
A critical takeaway is that even though respondents initially see raising the minimum wage as a positive idea, the policy position has weak support when compared to concentrating on economic growth and job creation… Overall, respondents favor pro-growth economic policies on taxes and regulation in order to create jobs and pay raises that would benefit them and their families over federal proposals focusing on income inequality. As we know from YG Network’s previous public opinion research, Americans across the board care about those who are trapped at the bottom of the economic ladder, and desire policy solutions that are grounded in fairness. As families struggle through a fifth year in the Obama economy, it’s clear that respondents feel that the most fair way to get Americans back on their feet is through policies that grow our economy and create jobs.
Notably, a new Quinnipiac poll reveals that just 1% of Americans believe income inequality should be the top priority for President Obama and Congress in 2014, while another 1% cite class inequality. In the same poll, 31% of respondents said the economy in general or jobs/unemployment should be the top priority, while 18 percent said health care.
Distractions… excuses… blame-shifting… and no policies to help grow our economy, create jobs, control costs for families, and help more Americans afford middle-class life. Is this all liberals have to offer America as the Obama economy limps into its sixth terrible year?
Sadly, yes — and even their own strategists acknowledge it’s not working.
The YG Network (YGN) is organized as a non-profit 501(c)(4) dedicated to broadening the Young Guns movement by supporting conservative/center-right policies and the efforts of those who advocate for those policies. Learn more at http://ygnetwork.org.