Wonkbook: A new poll suggests most Republicans now want higher taxes on the rich

Sponsored by American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network | By Max Ehrenfreund A majority of Republicans now support increasing taxes on wealthy Americans, according to a new poll — an abrupt shift against a long-held tenet of GOP economic doctrine. The results from the Public Religion Research Institute and the Brookings Institution show that 54 percent of Republicans support increasing taxes on those with incomes over $250,000 a …   The latest economic and domestic policy from Wonkblog   A new poll suggests a shift in opinion on taxes for the wealthy. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images) By Max Ehrenfreund A majority of Republicans now support increasing taxes on wealthy Americans, according to a new poll — an abrupt shift against a long-held tenet of GOP economic doctrine. The results from the Public Religion Research Institute and the Brookings Institution show that 54 percent of Republicans support increasing taxes on those with incomes over $250,000 a year, an increase of 18 percentage points since the last presidential election in 2012. Among Americans as a whole, 69 percent support an increase. The figures suggest that the tax reforms proposed by Donald Trump, Paul Ryan and other prominent Republicans — which would reduce taxes for the wealthy — are at odds with their constituents' wishes. The Public Religion Research Institute's polling indicates a sudden change in Republicans' attitudes on taxing the wealthy just in the past couple of months. To a lesser extent, there was also a shift in attitudes among Democrats and independent respondents. In the most recent poll, 68 percent of independents and 84 percent of Democrats supported an increase in taxes on the wealthy. It is too soon to say whether the results represent a real shift in opinions or are just some kind of statistical illusion, said Dan Cox, the institute's research director. While there was no change in the design of the poll or the wording of the question that could account for such a large change, Cox plans future polls to answer the question conclusively. ADVERTISEMENT   "You always have to ask yourself that question: is this an artifact of the methodology?" he said. "Or could it be something about the moment that we're in right now?" Read the rest on Wonkblog. Chart of the day The share of Americans who own guns continues to decline. Christopher Ingraham has more. Top policy tweets "The sea of charter schools in Detroit has fallen far short of expectations, in ways leaving disrict in worse shape. https://t.co/ekujT3eA6C" -- @greenhousenyt "Excellent @drvox post on how "the weight of the evidence" doesn't get you very far in policy debates. https://t.co/XgRAHVNUzr" -- @binarybits "Full text of Carney speech here. https://t.co/jVdILTBOYP" -- @TheStalwart Most Recent Posts from Wonkblog The real reasons so many millennials are living at home Pew's Richard Fry argues that a challenging job market, particularly for young men, is a major factor driving the trend. By Benjamin St. Clair  •  Read more »   Meat is horrible It may be delicious, but the evidence is growing that meat is kind of a disaster. By Rachel Premack  •  Read more »   Republicans may be rebelling against one of the GOP’s biggest positions A new poll put Republican leaders at odds with their voters. By Max Ehrenfreund  •  Read more »   Sorry, Donald Trump. America already thinks it’s great again. America isn't as worried about its future as Donald Trump says it is. By Ana Swanson  •  Read more »   A simple but controversial law that can make babies healthier A new study suggests that raising the minimum wage could have lasting effects not only on today's economy, but on the next generation of Americans as well. By Max Ehrenfreund  •  Read more »   American gun ownership drops to lowest in nearly 40 years And yet, gun sales are skyrocketing. What gives? By Christopher Ingraham  •  Read more »   Men say they work more than women. Here's the truth. Women aren't born with an innate desire to take on more housework. By Danielle Paquette  •  Read more »   ADVERTISEMENT   Recommended for you   Federal Insider Federal news and policy update, in your inbox daily. Sign Up »         Share Wonkbook:       Twitter      Facebook Trouble reading? Click here to view in your browser. You received this email because you signed up for a Wonkblog newsletter. For additional free newsletters or to manage your newsletters, click here. We respect your privacy. If you believe that this email has been sent to you in error or you no longer wish to receive email from The Washington Post, click here. Contact us for help. ©2016 The Washington Post, 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071