The CNU Center for Public Policy released part 2 of its recent survey of Virginia voters. The poll of 700 registered voters was conducted January 8-10 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.7%.
The poll found:
- Most (56%) prefer to balance to budget by cutting spending without raising taxes or dipping into the rainy day fund. Topping the list of things to cut were transportation (55%) and Social Services to low income Virginians (41%). I find it quite interesting that so many of those surveyed want to cut transportation. Were they not aware that transportation in Virginia has been underfunded for many years? Or is this response just a backlash to the transportation authorities? As for social services – talk about trying to kick somebody when they are down!
- Illegal immigration questions resulted in mixed answers from those surveyed. 53% support having local governments deny services (33% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans) and 55% support giving local police the authority to stop any driver that they suspect may be illegal (38% of Democrats agree while a whopping 73% of Republicans agree). I guess DWLLI (driving while looking like an illegal) would be sufficient for these folks to justify a police stop. Amazing! On the other hand, 58% oppose splitting families by deporting undocumented parents and 75% oppose denying emergency room care to pregnant or seriously ill illegals. On the latter, it is worthy to note that the health care plans being offered by presidential candidates do not cover illegal immigrants. Guess who gets to pay for those emergency room visits?
- A large majority of those surveyed (73%) prefer a bipartisan approach to redistricting, even Republicans 😉 I hope the General Assembly is listening, particularly the House Republicans.
The survey information is available here.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Cutting social services sounds good to me. I’m heartened that raising taxes finished a distant third, but the three choices provided as answers probably hurt the reliability of this poll.
I agree that the actual language of the answers provided undoubtedly influenced the results. Only one answer included the words “don’t raise taxes,” and I’d wager good money that if the first answer had also included the words “don’t raise taxes” (along with cut some spending, tap rainy day fund) it probably would have scored higher.
I wish the memo had provided a geographical breakdown for the next part of that question where people were asked to prioritize what to cut. I would find it hard to believe that 55% of voters in Hampton Roads or Northern Virginia wanted to cut funding for fixing roads and improving infrastructure so people spend less time in traffic. But I would easily believe that 80% of voters in Southside and Southwest wanted to cut spending on transportation problems that aren’t in their area.
Hmm – Brian wants to cut Social Services. Says a lot, I guess.
anon – I have some of the crosstab data, but it doesn’t show the breakdown by geography, only metro, small town, and rural. Remember that the 55% is the top two choices combined. On that basis, metro ranked transportation 50%, small town 61% and rural 57%.
Hmm – Brian wants to cut Social Services. Says a lot, I guess.
Primarily, it says that I am not fond of being forced to subsidize the lives of others. Is that such an unreasonable position?
Amen, brother. To hell with the people who lose their jobs in the coming recession! That’s what you all get for working in a phony industries like “manufacturing,” “customer service” and “retail.”
Brian’s inner Libertarian is breaking through. But you are touching on a fundamental difference in how Liberals and Libertarians see compassion.
Liberals see compassion in terms of how many people they help.
Libertarians see compassion as creating the conditions under which able bodied people need no help.
We see no compassion in maintaining people in a childlike, dependent state.
OK, back to my own place, tidewaterliberty.com
Well said, Dr. Tabor. My inner libertarian has been breaking through since about 1992.