NEW YORK  —  One thing is crystal clear in this week's FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll: Americans are thinking about tax cuts. Whether the focus is congressional agendas or what to do with the federal budget surplus, taxes are a priority.

When asked to name the most important issue for the federal government to address, 31 percent volunteered "taxes." Education (29 percent), the economy (18 percent), health care (15 percent), and Social Security (13 percent) round out the top five slots. Since mid-January, the tax issue jumped almost 20 percentage points, moving it up from fifth on the list. Education, almost always an issue that ranks in the top three, stays at the top, virtually tying taxes for first place.

When respondents were asked to choose from a short list what Congress should be working on right now, taxes/economy came out on top (21 percent), followed closely by Social Security and Medicare (19 percent), school violence (16 percent), education (15 percent), and health care (13 percent). Campaign finance reform, an issue the Senate has spent the last
two weeks debating, comes in dead last at four percent.

"President Bush has clearly been able to get Americans thinking about his proposal," comments Opinion Dynamics President John Gorman. "To the extent he is shaping the debate, he is succeeding. However, as other presidents have discovered, results are all that matters. If the economy and the markets keep declining, having a debate about taxes isn't going to go down as an achievement. If he can get the cut through and it appears to have a positive impact on the economy, then he is in a position to benefit immensely."

Recently Congress has been debating the idea of giving taxpayers a rebate, possibly as early as this year. Only 21 percent of Americans prefer an immediate tax rebate to reductions in long-term overall tax rates (70 percent).

On an open-ended question regarding how the budget surplus should be used (no list was read so all responses were volunteered by the respondent), taxes again topped the list:

While tax cuts is the single item with the highest percentage, when domestic programs are taken as a group they add to 40 percent.

Mad Cow Disease

When not thinking about tax cuts, many are closely following the news about Mad Cow Disease (75 percent following "very" or "somewhat" closely). Thirty percent consider it a major threat to the health and safety of Americans, and 52 percent think it's a minor threat. But so far, only a small minority report changing their behavior in response to their concerns. Of course, if the 11 percent who say they will reduce or end beef consumption actually followed through, it would be a major blow to the industry. Less than one percent say they have actually cancelled travel plans in response to the disease.

Reparations for Slavery

Eleven percent of the public favors paying reparations to African-American descendants of slaves, while 81 percent are against reparations. Blacks and other minority groups are almost four times more likely than whites to support paying reparations.

Fox News/Opinion Dynamics Poll Results

Most recent poll: Polling was conducted by telephone March 28-29, 2001 in the evenings. The sample is 905 registered voters nationwide with a margin of error of ±3 percentage points. LV = likely voters

1. I'm going to read the names of some political figures. Please tell me whether you have a generally favorable or unfavorable opinion of each. If you've never heard of someone, please just say so. (Randomize)
SCALE: 1. Favorable 2. Unfavorable 3. (Can't say) 4. (Never heard of)

George W. Bush: 

2. Dick Cheney:

3. Bill Clinton:

4. John McCain:

5. Do you approve or disapprove of the job George W. Bush is doing as president?

6. What do you think are the two most important issues for the federal government to address?

7. Thinking ahead to the year 2002, if the congressional election were being held today, would you vote for the Republican candidate in your district or the Democratic candidate in your district? (If undecided) Well, if you had to vote, which way would you lean?

8. Do you approve or disapprove of the job President Bush is doing on the following issues:

9. Managing foreign affairs?

10. Setting energy policy?

11. Setting tax policy?

12. Setting education policy?

13. As you know, the U.S. has a budget surplus. What do you think should be done with this money?

14. Of the following issues, which one do you think it is the most important for Congress to be working on right now?

15. Which political party - the Republicans or the Democrats - do you think would do a better job on each of the following issues?

Compare to: Which political party - the Republicans or the Democrats - do you think would do the best job on each of the following issues: SCALE: 1. Republicans 2. Democrats 3. (Equal) 4. (Not sure)

16. Based on what you know about it, do you favor or oppose President Bush's proposal for a $1.6 trillion dollar tax cut over the next 10 years?

17. Which of the following do you think is more important:

18. Which of the following do you think better describes a tax refund:

19. In the last month, have you taken money out of the stock market - by selling stocks or mutual funds - and put it into another investment?

20. How closely have you been following the news about Mad Cow Disease?

21. How much of a threat do you think Mad Cow Disease is to the health and safety of Americans?

22. Have you made any life-style changes because of the threat of Mad Cow Disease? (What?)

23. Do you think the United States should pay reparations for slavery, that is, pay money to African-Americans who are descendants of slaves?

24. (If yes) If taxes had to be raised or tax money had to be taken away from other programs, would you still favor paying reparations?

25. In general, do you think labor unions today are good for America or bad for America?

26. Do you think the president of the United States should have the power to stop a strike by a labor union?

Compare to: Last week, President Clinton intervened to stop a strike by American Airlines pilots. Do you think the President should have the right to stop any strike? (21 Feb 97)

27. Are you a member of a labor union or does anyone else in your household belong to a labor union?