Republicans, Democrats Disagree on Gov't Role in Creating Jobs

PRINCETON, NJ -- Republicans and Democrats are sharply divided on the government's role in creating jobs in the United States. Republicans are more likely to say reduced government regulation and involvement will lead to more jobs, while Democrats focus more on government involvement such as funding infrastructure work. Similar percentages in both groups, however, say the best way to create more jobs is to stop sending work overseas.

These results are based on responses to an open-ended question asking Americans to give their thoughts on "the best way to create more jobs in the United States." Gallup has asked this question three times over the last two years, most recently in an Oct. 6-9 survey.

The top recommendation among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents is keeping manufacturing jobs in the U.S., followed by less government involvement and lower taxes. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents' top recommendation is spending more on infrastructure jobs, and then keeping manufacturing jobs in the U.S.

Republicans and Democrats in roughly equal numbers mention doing more to help small businesses, raising taxes on imports, improving education, and hiring Americans rather than illegal immigrants as ways to create more jobs.

These views on creating more jobs offer solutions that address what Americans perceive to be the most important problem facing the nation at this point and a problem that is at the top of the list of priorities for most politicians.

President Obama is pressing Congress to take action on his proposed comprehensive jobs bill, and is touring the country touting its benefits. Republican leaders and GOP candidates for president also agree that something should be done about jobs, with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell saying on Thursday, "The American people want us to do something about the jobs crisis." The difficulty lies in the lack of consensus as to exactly what that "something" is.

The Senate on Thursday defeated a bill introduced by Democratic leaders that would have sent federal money to state governments in an effort to save state jobs. At the same time, the Senate also defeated a bill proposed by Republican leaders that would have scuttled a pending 3% withholding tax on payments to federal contractors.

Americans' Top Recommendation Is Still Bringing Jobs Back Home

Americans' most frequently offered recommendation on how to create more jobs -- as it has been each of the three times Gallup has asked this question -- is to focus on keeping manufacturing jobs in the U.S. rather than exporting them overseas.

Americans also prioritize creating more infrastructure work, reducing government involvement in the business world (including less regulation), lowering taxes, helping small businesses, and putting higher taxes on imported goods. Over the last two years, Americans have become somewhat more likely to mention reduced government regulation in response to the "create more jobs" question, and slightly less likely to mention helping small businesses.

Bottom Line

It appears that elected representatives in Washington will please Americans of all political persuasions if they develop ways of keeping manufacturing jobs in the U.S. so they are not exported overseas. Beyond that, actions to create jobs that involve using the power of the federal government are likely to run into political trouble from one side or the other. While Republicans want government to do less, including lowering taxes, Democrats want it to do more, including spending on infrastructure. These differing views on how best to create jobs underscore how difficult it is for Washington to take action on the jobs front without suffering political consequences from a divided citizenry.