Half of Americans Expect Obama to Raise Their Taxes

[Pryderi]

WTF???? Is this the same situation as in '04 when people believed Hussein was part of the attack on 9/11????

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=a1nHh6ocKM64&refer=home

Half of Americans Expect Obama to Raise Their Taxes
One-third expect a federal income tax increase in a McCain presidency


by Dennis Jacobe, Chief Economist

PRINCETON, NJ -- Fifty-three percent of Americans expect their federal income taxes to increase if Barack Obama is elected president, while 34% think they would increase if John McCain gets the job -- both of which are higher than expectations were for their counterparts in the 2004 election.

Many Independents Think Both Obama and McCain Will Increase Taxes
Given the current economic environment, one might think that the last thing the presidential contenders would be thinking about -- let alone verbalizing -- would be their intention to raise federal income taxes. In fact, McCain has pledged to renew the tax cuts George W. Bush instituted, and Obama has said he would raise taxes on the wealthiest but would provide a tax cut to middle-class Americans. Therefore, it may be somewhat surprising that so many Americans think their federal taxes will go up, regardless of whether Obama or McCain is elected. And while the respective percentages are higher for this year's candidates than they were in 2004, the gap between the two contestants of 19 points is actually smaller than the 23-point gap that year.

Republicans are overwhelmingly convinced that Obama will increase their taxes, with 81% stating such an expectation, compared to 52% of independents and 34% of Democrats. In sharp contrast, only 16% of Republicans think their taxes will increase if McCain is elected president, compared to 34% of independents and 46% of Democrats. While party affiliation clearly plays a role in the way Democrats and Republicans view potential tax increases, a substantial percentage of independents think their federal taxes will increase no matter who wins.

Economic Groups Perceived to Benefit Most in an Obama or McCain Presidency

If Obama becomes president, 55% of Americans say they believe his policies will benefit the middle class (33%) or the poor (22%) the most, with 25% saying they'll benefit all groups equally and only 16% saying his policies would benefit the wealthy. In sharp contrast, if McCain is elected, 53% believe his policies will benefit the wealthy the most, with only 20% suggesting they will favor the middle class (19%) or the poor (1%), and 25% saying they will benefit all groups equally.

[WinkyDink]

1. Americans have always sided with and identified with the well-to-do, however stupidly, so this does

not surprise me.

[Captain Hilts]

2. At least two-thirds think they're subject to the Federal Estate Tax...when .05 get it.

People do NOT understand taxes: what's regressive, what's progressive, payroll taxes vs. income taxes, etc.

[BlooInBloo]

3. (shrug) Americans are stupid. That's not news.

[HughMoran]

4. That's because McCain ad LIES and says he will and Obama doesn't respond

Why can't he make an ad that more clearly shows that he gives a tax cut to people making less than $200,000 or so (and no real increase until you hit $600,000) that favors the poor while McCain proposes a tax cut that favors rich people - just like Bush did?

[uponit7771]

5. EX-ACT-LY!!! If you let the lie stay out there what are people SUPPOSED to think?

You have to respond to lies mostly by calling them such and making sure people hear the truth

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Cognitive dissonance and irony.

Obama plainly stated he'd LOWER taxes for 95% of Americans under his administration. Lower, not raise.

Ironic as Bush can tell the biggest lies and some segments buy it wholesale.

[Grillydad]

7. Tell everyone you know to check on their own at Obamataxcut.com

Link: http://alchemytoday.com/obamataxcut/

[Tanuki]

8. 50% of Americans have an IQ of <100

It explains a lot.

[CrispyQ]

9. A wise DUer pointed out that inflation is the 'tax' that eats away at our wages

more effectively & aggressively than any tax.

We live in fear of paying taxes but continue to vote in republicans who ruin our economy. Will Americans ever smarten up?

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Repukes operate using the "repetition is knowledge" strategy

If you repeat a thing enough times, then it becomes true. The whole issue of "taxes" is one example. The issue of "drilling" is another. Whenever a mike is shoved in a repuke's (ANY repuke's) face, they automatically say "Democrats will raise taxes and the U.S. needs more drilling". It doesn't matter WHAT subject was asked by the reporter. They repeat their mantras over and over, like a broken record, ad nauseum. And this gets embedded into the American psyche.

Democrats MUST MUST start doing this. They have been able to successfully do the same with the "He doesn't know how many houses he has" statement and the "The VP is only a heart-beat away from the Presidency" statement. The subject of taxes MUST have the SAME amount of repetition, from EVERY SINGLE SURROGATE, until one gets sick of hearing it - e.g., "Obama WILL cut taxes for 95% of Americans". Just keep repeating it over and over and over. In commercial after commercial after commercial. On TV interview after TV interview after TV interview - EVEN IF you have to go off-topic to get it out there. I have heard them repeat it in some instances, but it hasn't been repeated enough times!