Voters Want Investments in Physical Infrastructure and Care Economy Passed Together
As part of an August survey of likely voters nationally, Invest in America and Data for Progress tested support for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, Congressional Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package, and general attitudes about support for further government investments in the economy.
A majority of voters support the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
We first asked likely voters if they support the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. We find likely voters support this proposal by a 46-point margin. This includes majorities of self-identifying Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, who back the proposal by respective margins of 70-points, 40-points, and 22-points.
A majority of voters support passing $3.5 trillion of investments through reconciliation
We also tested support for the $3.5 trillion reconciliation plan that Democrats in Congress are currently considering. We find that likely voters support this proposal by a 31-point margin. Democrats and Independents support this proposal by 73-point and 20-point margins. Forty-one percent of Republicans support this proposal and 51 percent oppose it.
We also tested support for some of the specific policies that may be included in the final reconciliation package. The most popular provision is investments in long-term care for seniors and people with disabilities, backed by a margin of 69-points. Modernizing school buildings and the electricity grid are both supported by margins of more than 50-points. By 30-point margins, likely voters support funding universal pre-K and the creation of a Civilian Conservation Corps. By at least a 20-point margin, likely voters support lowering the Medicare eligibility age, a pathway to citizenship, and tuition-free community college. Lastly, by a 9-point margin, likely voters support extending child tax benefits.
Voters want to see investments that go beyond just physical infrastructure
We asked likely voters if they would want Congress to just invest in physical infrastructure, or if they’d prefer that Congress invest in both roads and bridges and other priorities such as long-term care, expanding educational opportunities, and strengthening the social safety net. We find that 68 percent of likely voters want to see broader investments. This includes 85 percent of Democrats, 66 percent of Independents, and 50 percent of Republicans.
Relatedly, we find that likely voters also think it’s important that investments in long-term care, healthcare, education, and the social safety net be made at the same time as investments in roads and bridges are also made. Among all likely voters, 51 percent say that it’s “Very important” these investments be made at the same time. Looking at responses broken out by partisanship, we find that a majority of Democrats (68 percent) and pluralities of Independents (44 percent) and Republicans (38 percent) think it’s very important these investments be made at the same time.
Voters see the economy in general as the most important issue
We asked likely voters what they see as the most important issue facing the country. (To do this, we used the same list of issues as the Economist). We find that among all likely voters, 22 percent say that the economy in general is the most important issue facing the country. For Democrats, a plurality (28 percent), say that climate change is the most important issue facing the country. With their reconciliation package, Democrats in Congress have formulated a popular, policy response that speaks to these priorities.
Toplines for this polling can be found here.
Methodology
From August 13 to 16, 2021, Invest in America and Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1,193 likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, and voting history. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error is ±3 percentage points.