48% would consider voting for libertarian, most support libertarian proposals
A new Reason-Rupe Public Opinion Survey finds large public support for voting for a libertarian candidate, and for libertarian economic polices.
Forty-eight percent (48%) of Americans would consider voting for a third-party candidate who is economically conservative and socially liberal. In a tightly, contested three-way race a candidate would only need between 35 and 40 percent to win.
The poll also finds:
* 57 percent say reducing government spending would help the economy. Only 20 percent say it would hurt.
* 77 percent support a cap on federal government spending, 62 percent “strongly” support one.
* 62 percent support a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
* 57 percent say national debt reduction measures should focus mainly on spending cuts.
* 61 percent are willing to see reductions to their own current or future Social Security benefits if it means reforms guaranteeing they would be paid back what they paid into the system.
* 59 percent are willing to see reductions to their own current or future Medicare benefits if it means reforms guaranteeing they would be paid back what they paid into the system.
* 54 percent support allowing workers to opt out of Social Security.
* 56 percent support allowing workers to opt out of Medicare
Reason-Rupe also finds the poll suggest most American misunderstand how Medicare and Social Security work, thinking it is a secure, personal account with paid funds reserved for them, instead of the giant pot into which current payments are given to current payees, with no guarantee of benefits for payment made.
The poll can be found in the December 2011 issue of Reason magazine.
The poll, conducted Aug. 9-18 polled a sample of 1,200 adults and has a margin of plus or minus three percent.
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