Washington: Listen to the People : New poll shows Americans want better long-range economic programs

The emerging tug of war between the President and Congress over who has the biggest tax cut for the middle class may be classic presidential-election politics. But it doesn’t seem to be impressing the American people.

Most Americans, according to a new Times Poll, would rather forgo tax cuts and divert the post-Cold War defense savings to domestic programs or deficit reductions. Three cheers for vox populi ! The Times survey also suggests a deep public concern over the nation’s chronic, long-term economic problems, including the federal deficit of nearly $400 billion. People know what a drag on economic growth that is.

This general view of the American public, as polled, is in line with Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan’s warning that an ill-conceived economic growth package may be far costlier to the nation in the long run than the short-lived benefits of tax cuts. Still, it’s slightly astonishing that despite public pessimism about the economy, taxes don’t top the list of economic priorities for Americans this year.

Only 6% of the respondents mentioned taxes, compared to 33% who cited the economy generally, 28% unemployment and 21% health care. Only 22% of those surveyed said Washington should use the savings from defense cuts for a tax cut, while 35% said the money should be used to boost spending on domestic programs and 33% said it should go directly for deficit reduction. The poll reveals little evidence of a festering grass-roots tax revolt.

Yet Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee propose a larger middle-class tax break than the President does. Their alternative economic growth package also includes greater progressivity in the tax structure, which makes sense. But would not all this time and energy be better spent drawing a bipartisan economic blueprint that helps create jobs, improving schools and roads and spurring more savings and investment?

Americans understand that our economic problems are beyond Band-Aid solutions. Quick-fix tax cuts won’t solve the underlying structural problems. That’s the simple message to Washington. But is anyone listening?