Only 12% Of Americans Think Obama Cut Their Taxes: POLL

Only 12 percent of the public say that the Obama administration has lowered their taxes since coming to office, despite the fact that the White House's stimulus package cut taxes for 95 percent of Americans, a new opinion survey found.

The rather remarkable number was part of a CBS/New York Times poll released on Friday and provides a somewhat dispiriting window into how the recession has altered political preceptions throughout the country. A tax cut of historic nature, passed by Congress last winter, has yielded few political benefits (and, some economists would argue, few economic ones as well).

In addition, the CBS/NYT poll found that 24 percent of respondents said that their taxes had actually increased under the Obama administration -- which is, again, not true. Fifty-three percent said their taxes stayed the same.

Pressed on these findings, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs largely skirted questions at his Friday press briefing about whether the administration had done a poor job selling its economic agenda to the public. Instead, he argued that the stimulus package had helped individuals in ways they could not tangibly see.

"I'd say [your pollsters] called the wrong people," Gibbs told CBS's Mark Knoller. "I think what happened and one of the things that I think will go through this bipartisan jobs process is state and local aid. If you look at last month's jobs report, the number of state and local government jobs lost was 41,000 out of that monthly jobs report. Because, I think in many cases, and you see now, too, the importance of something like state and local aid because, as bad as state budgets were last year, they're actually worse this year. So I think even as people may or may not have felt that the government failed them, they may have gotten something different from their state and local government in order to make up for a collective budget shortfall among the 50 states in something that exceeded $125 billion. So look, I think that...is it part of the frustration...95 percent of local people saw their taxes cut last year."

"What percent?" Knoller interjected.

"Ninety-five," said Gibbs. "But apparently only 12 percent felt it."

Comments

[oanda4me]

01:10 AM on 02/17/2010

I'm puzzled by the phrase used by many " the mainstream media". I invite you to read my latest book:
"The Myth of The Mainstream Media" by Oanda Formi
Oh- it hasn't been published yet and in fact I haven't started writing it yet - having discovered that the title exposes everything I would or could have said and why waste all that time exposing what we all should already have realized, that the all the media is mainstream now and all exist as propaganda agencies for corporate and wealthy. Perhaps the next book I won't waste time writing will be titled: "The Irony of the Mainstream Media and Why Those Who Despise It Are Its' Greatest Fans (or vice versa)"
not coming soon to a bookstore near you

[KMichaels]

03:53 PM on 02/16/2010

Higher Energy bills, higher fuel bills, higher food bills ate up any rebate check well before the rebate checks were spent. Getting all giggly eyed and woo wooed over some small rebate checks while Obama is planning on hefty taxes in every other aspect of American's lives is just plain stupid, to be blunt.

[Jingo]

11:47 AM on 02/17/2010

The Obama tax cuts aren't packaged into a single rebate check to make them look larger like GW's rebate. Everyone started receiving more money in their paychecks immediately when the went into effect. The GW tax rebate for average workers was about $6 per week. Obama's is double that for most people.

[Freetrademan]

11:08 AM on 02/16/2010

Just because Sam Stein or Robert Gibbs says so doesn't make it true. The assertion that "95 percent of Americans" got a tax cut is a LIE, not a fact.

It's mathematically impossible to cut taxes of "95% of Americans", when over a third of Americans already pay nothing in federal income tax. If someone already pays 0%, how do you give him a “tax cut”?

[tonewheel]

03:03 PM on 02/16/2010

Symantecs, Johnny. How about 95% of taxpayers.

Better?

[KMichaels]

03:18 PM on 02/16/2010

What would be better, Johnny, is to not lie about the real statistics in the first place. Then the truth will be evidently more clear. Neither 95% of the taxpayers nor 95% of Americans got a tax cut through Obama. It is simply a lie, often repeated by liberals, but still a lie nevertheless. And at least 12% of Americans understand the lie quite well.

[tonewheel]

09:05 AM on 02/16/2010

First of all, tax cuts in 2009 would not be realized until you complete your taxes DUE IN 2 MONTHS. Many haven't completed their taxes yet; many don't pay close enough attention from year to year, and repubs will never admit they received ANY benefit from this President under any circumstances.

[gratonite]

02:12 PM on 02/16/2010

I was just thinking the same thing. Maybe only 12% of Americans have done their taxes so far!

[BruntLIVE]

07:16 PM on 02/15/2010

my take rate went down 1% but I got over 3k back

[joeybee]

11:14 AM on 02/15/2010

There certainly was a tax cut for working people. It is a maximum of $400 tor individuals and $800 for couples. It gets figured in the computation of tax when completing one's Form 1040. For people that are barely making ends meet as it is, these amounts do not provide meaningful help. The total involved in the cuts just adds to the deficit which will have to be paid off with future tax receipts. It is all a political shellgame as far as I am concerned.

[elsieach]

11:14 AM on 02/15/2010

Another clear indication of the dumbing down of America. I've done my taxes and those for my 3 adult children - all reflecting significant tax savings for 2009 taking into account those already refunded in paychecks through the course of the year and the credits passed.

It wouldn't surprise me if only 12% of Americans KNOW how to do their own taxes, much less figure out if they've saved anything or been skewered.

[wxw101]

03:29 PM on 02/15/2010

That's why we need elite people to lead the dumasses around by the nose - oops.. did I just give away the dem playbook?

[WICKET99]

07:36 PM on 02/15/2010

No elites required if the "dumasses" get an 8th grade education.

[KMichaels]

03:39 PM on 02/16/2010

Why would an adult be doing the taxes of three of their adult children? Then why would that same adult complain about some made up number of people not being able to do their own taxes? Sounds like maybe they had parents that turned out to be bad teachers. For starters, teach your adult children to do their own taxes.

[thepheonix]

10:16 AM on 02/15/2010

It's not so much what Obama has done. It is what he wants to do that is going to hurt. He gives you a little and then crushes you with a ton. People know instinctively that Obama cannot be trusted.

[Joel Redman]

11:21 AM on 02/15/2010

What people? And what do you think he wants done? With citations to his own words, please. Not your demagogue mind controllers.

[thepheonix]

03:13 PM on 02/15/2010

You cite. I hit and run. I set my own tone and response. Answerable only to myself. Got it?

[KMichaels]

03:41 PM on 02/16/2010

What people don't trust Obama? Have you read the polls lately? More don't trust him than do trust him. As to what programs will cost more money to the taxpayers, that one is easy. Obama style healthcare and Obama style cap and trade. Both will cost most taxpayers more money. The idea that people can be bought off so easily with somebody else's tax money says more about those sort of people than anything else.

[RBLRDR]

11:53 AM on 02/15/2010

Congratulations on typing a full paragraph chock full of nothing.

[thepheonix]

03:14 PM on 02/15/2010

BAAAAAAAAAA

[SeanOcali2]

04:22 AM on 02/15/2010

Let's not forget, around 15% of Americans got tax cuts in the form of losing their jobs.

[monstermash9]

01:46 PM on 02/15/2010

And who said Bush never did anything for ya....

[miketothad]

09:15 PM on 02/14/2010

As Americans, we could easily be doomed by our own collective legislative apathy and ignorance. This notion of a "moderate" view, should serve as proof of our gullibility. The Republican Party has gone the way of a misinformation mill, and we've simply become a "Reality TV" nation.
The clock is ticking on our middle class.

Who created this?:

1. 2 wars and neither paid for.
2. Medicare Part D not paid for.
3. Tax cut to the rich not paid for.
4. Demanding that no 'buy American' provision is included in a stimulus package.

[Zombeaver]

09:54 PM on 02/14/2010

The Party of Reagan.

[KMichaels]

03:44 PM on 02/16/2010

Democrats controlled the purse strings in both recent wars. If they are not paid for then blame the democrats.

Same goes for Medicare.

Tax cuts to the rich not paid for? Who pays most of the taxes? The rich? Who pays for most taxes? The rich. You ignorant self-servants wanting other people's money have no reason to complain. As they say, beggars can't be choosers.

[miketothad]

09:59 PM on 02/17/2010

Ahhhh.... My how you wallow in ignorance.
Nobody wants anything from you.

[MelDel7365]

09:02 PM on 02/14/2010

This makes no sense.

WHY was the administration being questioned about whether it had done a poor job "selling" its economic agenda to the public? Was anyone at all listening to the administration when they were discussing the package over and over and over? Or was the press too busy asking the administration how it was going to achieve bipartisanship? And what it thought about the Republicans' latest (bogus) talking points?? Oh, the drama...and the ratings

Shouldn't the press be questioning how the public in this country is so profoundly uninformed when it comes to the reality and the substance of the policies that impact their lives? Wait, that would require the press to look in the mirror ...

[VirginiaJeff]

11:00 PM on 02/14/2010

Agreed.

[robizio]

11:01 PM on 02/14/2010

Or how about asking who managed to convince the American people that Obama didn't cut their taxes? I mean, the Obama administration certainly wasn't keeping it a secret, so someone must be pushing the lie that Obama has increased our taxes...though I don't think it helped that the deduction was already taken out of withholding so people didn't see it as a "refund". Marketers know this: people value 400.00 more than they do 20 x 20.00, even if they have to wait months and months for the big check.

[Zombeaver]

08:59 PM on 02/14/2010

That's because the Democrats have not learned the first rule of politics: control the information. The first part of that is knowing how to message. Does "Stimulus Package" sound like "Tax Cut" to you? No! If Democrats had called the thing "The Obama Tax Cut" not only would Republicans have a hard time voting against it, voters would think Obama gave them a tax cut. In fact, if Democrats wanted to take back some of the ground they gave away to the Potemkin Party, they would call every bill "The _______ Tax Cut". If Republicans started to complain that they weren't really tax cuts, all Democrats would have to do is ask why the Republicans are against tax cuts. Does it make sense? No, but that has never stopped Republicans from using that technique with impressive results.

[moodman]

12:13 AM on 02/15/2010

I totally agree with you and am profoundly and perpetually disappointed in the inability for Democrats to be aggressive when it comes to crafting and controlling the message.

[avb34]

06:17 PM on 02/14/2010

What is meant by "lowered taxes?" Were the tax rates reduced? Was the scope and number of possible deductions increased? How are we to judge that taxes have been lowered if the year is only 35 days old? The fact is that an individual's tax liability varies from year to year in dollars and effective rate as income and deductions vary. Effective rates of return for individual payers typically are much lower than the marginal rates which are shorthand for tax brackets. If respondents to this poll said they had no idea whether or not their taxes were lower they would be correct unless they recalculated returns of previous years using 2010 rules.

[JeanRR]

04:45 PM on 02/14/2010

All I know is that my taxes went down. But then I did pass math all through elementary school.

[Haditup2here]

10:03 PM on 02/14/2010

Although the "make work work" tax cut was only $400.00, it was implemented through people's tax withholding as opposed to sending checks in the mail. Therefore, you would have had to have kept up with the news in order to realize that.

However, some people still go to H&R Block and other tax agencies (paying big bucks $$$) to get their taxes done when it can be done manually by knowing how the marginal tax schedule works. You can even do it for free online and e-file as opposed to having to purchase tax software like TurboTax and Tax Cut.

Therefore, this poll doesn't surprise me.

[HoosierRadical]

04:17 PM on 02/14/2010

"Only 12 percent of the public say that the Obama administration has lowered their taxes since coming to office, despite the fact that the White House's stimulus package cut taxes for 95 percent of Americans, a new opinion survey found."

Well welcome to the democrats world...it must be very disheartening for the democrats to know that the citizenry is so ignorant. But of course they would never admit to such honesty. I tell you what though, even with the frustrations I have toward the congressional dems, I have to say, I have much respect for what they do, especially when it is not even acknowledge by the very people they fight for every day.

All I can say it keep up the good fight.

[Servility]

08:02 PM on 02/14/2010

So the citizenry that you refer to as being so ignorant... would that be the same citizenry that elected Obama?

[2lib4oh]

11:34 PM on 02/14/2010

Polling can give you the right answer or the wrong answer depending on who is doing it and how they ask the question.

A simple way of asking it would be to :Look at your pay check stub on 12/09 and 1/10.Do you see a reduction in Federal taxes withheld? For better comparison, look at 12/08 and 12/07.

Now for another comparison look at your withholding for insurance.Did you see an increase in cost? Most likely you will see insurance cost increases regardless of any pay increases or tax reductions..Most people will barely be able to see any wage increases due to increasing cost of health care insurance.As we know,Anthem jacked up their rates in California by 39%.Those folks are falling behind already.

These are things the media could do to inform the public unless they don't want the public informed.

[moodman]

12:15 AM on 02/15/2010

How will you vote in the mid-terms?? Are we going to turn this country over to the Republicans again?