9 February 2016

Half of voters agree with Bernie Sanders on corporate greed

By

Large percentages of Americans are open to the explanations for economic tough times that Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are offering to them. We asked the YouGov First Direct panel to say whether a list of factors were “important” in “explaining why some American workers are enduring tough times”. 50% agreed with Bernie Sanders that “the greed of big business” was an important factor”.  Given that 59% agreed that “competition from China” was an issue, Mr Trump’s promise to renegotiate trade agreements can clearly resonate in this electoral cycle. 48% of voters specifically agreed that free trade agreements could be an important cause of working and middle class economic ills. Interestingly only just over a third identified immigration as an important factor and the traditional Republican complaint about the impact of high taxes and excessive regulation registered with 42% of voters. 42% isn’t a bad number but Republican leaders will note that their key economic talking point is a few places below those employed by Sanders and Trump.

bernie sanders

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Tim Montgomerie is Editor of Portrait of America