Will Taxing the Rich Go Over Well in November?

President Obama certainly hopes so. But here’s relevant polling data: 

In a 2008 poll conducted by the Tax Foundation, 68 percent favored abolishing the estate tax; only 19 percent opposed. Note that just 2 percent of Americans – rich people all – are subject to estate taxes. A great majority of those polled voted against the tax anyway.  

Fully 69 percent of likely votes believed that if someone earns twice as much, he should pay twice as much income tax. This implies a flat tax rate. Only 13 percent believe that those earning twice as much should pay more than twice as much tax, as exemplified by our current, “progressive” tax system.

In 2011, Rasmussen found that 74 percent of Americans believed that no one should pay more than 20 percent of income in federal, state, and local taxes combined.

Rasmussen also found that 68 percent of Americans prefer a government with few services and lower taxes.

These look like majorities to me – sweeping majorities.