A broad majority of Americans, including conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats, support the deal brokered between President Obama and Republicans to extend the Bush-era tax rates for two years, a new poll from the Pew Center for the People and the Press reveals.
“There are virtually no partisan differences in opinions about the agreement – 63% of Democrats approve of it, as do 62% of Republicans and 60% of independents,” the poll’s authors conclude. “Among Democrats, liberals are as supportive of the agreement as are conservative and moderate Democrats.”
A plurality of those polled also said that although the deal would be a positive move to help the economy in the short term, it would deepen the federal deficit.
The deal in part will extend the Bush-era tax rates for all income brackets for two years, impose a 35 percent estate tax on assets over $5 million and provide federal unemployment benefits for another 13 months.
The Senate will take the first step toward passing the proposal Monday, and is expected to receive bipartisan support.
According to House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer, the House will vote on the measure shortly after the Senate passes their own version, which is expected within the next couple of days. Parts of the proposal have received fierce opposition among House Democrats. Hoyer said in a press conference Monday morning that the House could make changes to the Senate bill before it reaches the president’s desk.
Democratic leaders in both chambers have said they hope to reach a consensus on the issue by the end of the week.
The Pew survey of 1,011 adults was conducted Dec. 9-12, and has a sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
