A majority of U.S. likely voters prefer a smaller government with “fewer services and lower taxes,” a Rasmussen Reports survey released Friday found.
The survey, taken May 17-18, 2021, among 1,000 likely voters, asked respondents if they preferred a “more active government with more services and higher taxes or a smaller government with fewer services and lower taxes.”
Fifty-five percent said they prefer a smaller government with fewer services and lower taxes compared to 37 percent who chose a more active government with more services and higher taxes.
Predictably, opinions were sharply divided on party lines, with 57 percent of Democrats supporting a more active government with more services and higher taxes and 78 percent of Republicans choosing a smaller government. Fifty-six percent of independents sided with the majority of Republicans, who prefer a smaller government and lower taxes.
Notably, 51 percent of non-white voters prefer a smaller government, as do the plurality of black voters specifically, 46 percent.
According to the survey, the vast majority of respondents, 68 percent, say the government does not spend taxpayer money wisely or carefully. Just 18 percent believe it does, and 14 percent remain unsure. Although the majority of Democrats expressed support for a larger, more active government, 51 percent agreed the government does not spend taxpayer money wisely or carefully:
President Biden’s strongest supporters are most likely to prefer more government and to think government spends taxpayer money wisely. Among voters who Strongly Approve of Biden’s job performance as president, 75% prefer a more active government with more services and higher taxes, and 41% think government spends taxpayer money wisely and carefully. By contrast, among voters who Strongly Disapprove of Biden’s performance, 92% prefer a smaller government with fewer services and lower taxes and 95% believe government does not spend taxpayer money wisely and carefully.
The survey’s margin of error is +/- 3 percent.