GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- President Bush's proposals to stimulate the economy have stimulated little enthusiasm among the public, according to the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll. Only about one in six Americans have paid close attention to the proposals, and opinion is about evenly divided on whether they should be passed into law. Only one in five Americans believe Bush's economic plan will make a big difference to the nation's economy, while fewer believe it will make a big difference to them and their families. Bush's economic approval rating is at 48%, essentially unchanged from last week. A majority of Americans, 55%, believe the president is not paying enough attention to the economy.
The poll, conducted Jan. 10-12, finds that 15% of Americans have been following the news about Bush's new economic proposals "very" closely, while another 39% have been following them "somewhat" closely. Close to half of the public, 46%, is hardly aware of them. This puts the economic proposals at the low end of the attention spectrum based on a wide variety of news items Gallup has tested over the past decade.
| How closely have you been following the news about the new economic proposals announced by President Bush this past week -- very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely, or not at all? |
 |
| Jan 10-12, 2003 |
Americans appear mixed on what should happen with the proposals. Half the sample of respondents were asked whether they favored or opposed Bush's economic plan, and they lean slightly to the positive side, with 42% in favor and 37% opposed, while 21% have no opinion.
| Based on what you have read or heard, do you favor or oppose Bush's economic plan? |
 |
| Jan 10-12, 2003 |
The other half of the sample was asked a different question about the plan -- whether it should be passed as is, passed with major changes, or rejected altogether. Only 15% opt for total rejection, suggesting most Americans want some kind of stimulus package. However, 40% want the plan passed only after major changes are made, while just 25% want the plan passed as is.
| Do you think Congress should pass Bush's economic plan basically as George W. Bush has proposed it, pass it but only after making major changes, or reject this plan? |
 |
| Jan 10-12, 2003 |
A little over half, 56%, of all Americans believe Bush's plan would make at least "some" difference to the nation's economy, including 20% who say a "big" difference. Fewer Americans, 41%, believe the plan would make at least some difference to them personally, including 12% who say a "big" difference.
| Impact of Bush's Plan on: Economy/You and Your Family |
 |
| Jan 10-12, 2003 |
Americans express a divided view about one of Bush's specific proposals, to eliminate taxes people pay on stock dividends: 49% are in favor, 44% are opposed. There is, however, a good deal of self-interest in reaction to this proposal: People who own stocks support the proposal by 55% to 39%, while people who do not own stocks oppose the proposal by 52% to 40%.
| Do you favor or oppose eliminating taxes people pay on dividends they get from stocks they own? |
 |
| Jan 10-12, 2003 |
Bush's Economic Rating Unchanged
While the Bush administration may have hoped that the new economic program that the president outlined would help his image among the public, the poll shows that Bush's economic rating is the same this week as it was last week. Currently, 48% of Americans approve and 47% disapprove of the president's performance in this area, virtually unchanged from the 49% to 47% ratio measured last week.
More importantly, people who have paid attention to the news about the economic proposals give no higher ratings to Bush than those who have paid little or no attention. In fact, the opposite trend is found: to a slight degree, the more people have heard about the proposal, the lower rating they give to Bush on the economy.
| Bush's Rating on the Economy Compared by How Closely Followed News About Economic Proposals |
 |
| Jan 10-12, 2003 |
These low numbers are reinforced by responses to a separate question that asked Americans whether Bush was paying too much, about the right amount, or not enough to the economy. A majority, 55%, says not enough, with 41% saying the right amount. These numbers represent a reverse in opinion from last July, when a majority, 53%, said Bush was paying the right amount of attention, and 43% said not enough.
Do you think President Bush is paying -- [ROTATED: too much attention, about the right amount of attention, or not enough attention] -- to the economy?
BASED ON –519—NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM B
|
Too much |
Right amount |
Not enough |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2003 Jan 10-12 |
2 |
41 |
55 |
|
2002 Jul 26-28 ^ |
1 |
53 |
43 |
|
2002 Jan 11-14 ^ |
2 |
64 |
31 |
Survey Methods
The latest results are based on telephone interviews with 1,002 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Jan. 10-12, 2003. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
How closely have you been following the news about the new economic proposals announced by President Bush this past week -- very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely, or not at all?
|
Very |
Somewhat closely |
Not too closely |
|
No |
|
|
2003 Jan 10-12 |
15% |
39 |
28 |
18 |
* |
Based on what you have read or heard, do you favor or oppose Bush's economic plan?
BASED ON –483—NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM A
|
Favor |
Oppose |
No opinion |
|
|
2003 Jan 10-12 |
42% |
37 |
21 |
Do you think Congress should pass Bush's economic plan basically as George W. Bush has proposed it, pass it but only after making major changes, or reject this plan?
BASED ON –519—NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM B
|
|
Pass with |
|
No |
|
|
2003 Jan 10-12 |
25% |
40 |
15 |
20 |
How much of a difference will Bush's economic plan make to the nation's economy – [ROTATED: a big difference, some difference, only a little difference, (or) no difference at all]?
|
|
|
|
No difference |
|
|
|
2003 Jan 10-12 |
20% |
36 |
24 |
8 |
12 |
How much of a difference will Bush's economic plan make to you and your family – [ROTATED: a big difference, some difference, only a little difference, (or) no difference at all]?
|
|
|
|
No difference |
|
|
|
2003 Jan 10-12 |
12% |
29 |
28 |
22 |
9 |
Do you favor or oppose eliminating taxes people pay on dividends they get from stocks they own?
|
Favor |
Oppose |
No opinion |
|
|
2003 Jan 10-12 |
49% |
44 |
7 |
