As House Democrats start work today on a massive, $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill, a new Expedition Strategies poll offers timely insights into how a pivotal group of voters view President Biden’s ambitious “Build Back Better” agenda.
The findings suggest Biden and Congressional Democrats should focus public attention on the broad economic benefits of the reconciliation bill rather than social equity and be flexible about the ultimate size and cost of the spending package.
Commissioned by the Progressive Policy Institute, the poll surveyed voters in 44 battleground House Districts and eight states likely to have competitive Senate races in next year’s midterm elections. “What happens in these critical swing districts and states will determine whether Democrats can enlarge their slender House and Senate majorities or yield control to the Republicans,” said PPI President Will Marshall.
“There’s encouraging news for President Biden and the Democrats here, but also grounds for proceeding cautiously on the reconciliation spending package,” he added. “Battleground voters are worried about piling up debt on young working families.”
This report, the first of a series based on this extensive poll’s findings, can be found here. Here are some key takeaways:
- Battleground voters overwhelmingly (73-27) support the president’s bipartisan infrastructure bill. Even more (83-17) approve of his determination to work with Republicans to get it done, and 85% say it’s a “major investment” in strengthening the U.S. economy.
- These voters also favor Biden’s proposed “human infrastructure” or social investment package, but by a much narrower margin, 54-46.
- In general, these voters respond more favorably to arguments that the package will create jobs and economic opportunity and reward work than to arguments that it’s necessary to reduce economic inequality.”
Battleground district and state voters rank deficits and debt as their second highest economic concern. By 88-12, they say the national debt is a “serious problem.”
- These voters favor paying for these initiatives with a mix of tax hikes and public borrowing rather than just adding them to the deficit. By a solid 57-43 margin, they favor increasing taxes on the wealthy and corporations to pay for new public investments. Two-thirds of voters believe inherited income should be taxed at the same or higher rate than earned income.
- Republican supply side nostrums may be losing their potency. A variety of Democratic arguments that offer an activist economic alternative are more appealing to these voters than the traditional Republican mantra of cutting taxes and regulation.
- However, Democrats should be wary of claims that these voters will reward “bold” action on spending. When asked if the federal government should make investments but be careful about how much spending and the national debt increases or make bold and significant new investments and address the impact on the debt later, 63% say to be careful while just 20% say be bold and worry about the debt later.
- In a warning to Democrats, three-in-four (73%) voters say they are concerned that “Democrats in Congress want to spend too much money without paying for it.” In addition, 74% said they are worried that these bills may lead to inflation.
The Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) is a catalyst for policy innovation and political reform based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to create radically pragmatic ideas for moving America beyond ideological and partisan deadlock. Learn more about PPI by visiting progressivepolicy.org.
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Media Contact: Aaron White – awhite@ppionline.org
