Most Americans think rich don't pay enough taxes, Pew poll says

With the income gap becoming a major issue this election cycle, the latest Pew Research poll shows that most Americans believe the rich pay too little in taxes.

According to the Associated Press, the poll, released on Monday, found that nearly six in 10, or 58 percent, said that the rich didn't pay enough in taxes. Around 26 percent said the rich paid their fair share and only 8 percent said they paid too much.

Even among respondents who described themselves as "upper class" or "upper middle class," around 52 percent said that rich Americans did not pay enough in taxes.

"The fact that Romney may be viewed as wealthy doesn't necessarily pose problems for his candidacy," said Kim Parker, associate director of Pew Social & Demographic Trends, according to the AP. "The challenge for Romney lies more in the fact that large majorities say if he is elected president, his policies would likely benefit the wealthy."

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The poll also found that 63 percent of those surveyed said the Republican party favored the rich, while nearly 70 percent said the Democratic party favored the middle class or poor, according to NPR.

A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll also reflected such numbers, with six in 10 voters saying that Romney's policies would favor the wealthy, according to The Washington Post. Six in 10 voters said President Obama's policies would favor the middle class.

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The Pew survey also found that a majority of respondents admired the rich and thought of them as smart and hard working, Bloomberg noted. A majority still said they were greedy, and one-third of respondents said the rich were dishonest.

Those responding said a $150,000 annual salary would make a four-person family rich, with those in the Northeast and suburban communities saying $200,000 and those in rural areas putting the figure at $125,000, according to Bloomberg.

The opinion split along partisan lines when it came to how much work it takes to become rich: 55 percent of Republican respondents said rich people worked harder than others and 33 percent of Democrats agreed.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120827/most-americans-think-rich-dont-pay-enough-taxes-