The Washington Post and University of Maryland released a new poll over the weekend showing that a majority of Americans believe money in politics is at the root of Washington’s dysfunction. The latest poll is consistent with End Citizens United’s research, which shows money in politics is a top concern for voters and that the majority of Americans believe the amount of money in politics affects their daily lives. End Citizens United’s polling and research reveals that a money in politics reform agenda – when messaged correctly – helps win back many independent and unaffiliated voters that Democrats have lost over the last several election cycles.
Key takeaways:
The question: How much, if at all, do you blame each of the following for causing dysfunction in the U.S. political system?
- 96 percent of voters said they blame money in politics “a lot” or “some,” including 65 percent who responded “a lot.” (This ranked first on the list of items.)
- 94 percent of voters said they blame wealthy political donors “a lot” or “some,” including 56 percent who responded “a lot.” (This ranked second on the list of items.)
Washington Post: ‘It’s just messed up’: Most think political divisions as bad as Vietnam era, new poll shows.
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“Democrats and Republicans do agree on many of the causes of political dysfunction in the U.S. political system.
At least 6 in 10 Democrats, Republicans and independents say ‘money in politics’ deserves a lot of blame, while smaller majorities blame ‘people with extreme views,’ and more than 4 in 10 of each group blame members of Congress.
A majority of Americans overall say wealthy political donors deserve a lot of blame, and nearly half say the same for both the news media and social media. In a separate question, three-quarters say media organizations tend to favor one side when dealing with political and social issues, a critique held by most Democrats and Republicans.
Gina Haag, a high school government teacher in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, said she believes two of the biggest culprits contributing to political dysfunction are ‘hyper-partisanship’ and the amount of money in politics.
‘It’s gotten to the point where money matters more than who’s running or what they stand for,’ said Haag, 24, a registered independent.'”
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