Promoting The CLCs Agenda For Children

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Promoting The CLCs Agenda For Children
Strategic message findings from a nationwide
survey among 1,000 registered voters conducted
online November 15 18, 2008 for the Childrens
Leadership Council by
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Support For Childrens Investment Plan
Support for proposal to increase federal funding
by about 50 billion per year for programs
services to address childrens needs in areas
such as early childhood education, childrens
health care, childrens well-being
70
65
22
15
Initial Support
Final Support
3
Support Lower If Plan Increases Deficit Or Delays
Tax Cuts
Support for proposal to increase federal funding
by 50 billion a year for childrens programs and
services
Initial support for proposal If proposal would
prevent Congress from reducing taxes If
proposal would increase the federal budget
deficit
70
56
51
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Voters Economic Agenda Focuses On Energy,
Taxes, And Health Care
Which two of these are the most important steps
federal government can take to strengthen
Americas economy?
Proposalsupporters 58 39 40 36 27
Developing new energy sources Reducing
taxes Reducing health care costs Investing in
health, education, develop-ment of
children Investing in infrastruc-ture,
transportation
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Concern About Government Overreach
Which concerns you more regarding the federal
government and programs for children?
All voters
Weak proposalsupporters
Strong proposalsupporters
6
Belief That All Children Should Benefit
If additional federal funding were to go to
childrens services, it should be focused on
helping
All voters Proposal supporters Proposalnon-suppor
ters
7
Low Confidence In Efficacy Of Spending
If the federal government increased funding for
childrens programs, how confident are you that
this would actually result in better health and
well-being for children?
Very confident
Not too confident
43
57
Fairly confident
Justsomewhat confident
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Biggest Concerns Center On Effectiveness And
Beneficiaries
rating each as a serious concern (6 or 7 on
seven-point scale) about major increases in
federal spending on programs for children
Proposalsupporters 78 71 63 60 38 32
Too much money to bureaucracy instead of children
and families
Even programs that dont really work continue to
receive funding
Too many benefits to illegal immigrants and
others who dont qualify
Too much help to those who dont make effort, not
who deserve help
Parents responsibility to ensure children are
healthy and cared for
These programs cost too much with
trillion-dollar deficit, cant afford
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Core Message Investing In Children Is
Investment In Americas Future
Investing in children is investing in America.
When we help children grow and succeed, we are
paving the way for our countrys next generation
of workers and leaders. Supporting children is
not just the right thing to do, it is one of the
smartest investments we can make for the nations
future. 56 rate this as very convincing (6 or
7 on seven-point scale)
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Three Top-Rated Message Statements
rating each as very convincing (6 or 7 on
seven-point scale)
Investing in children is investing in America If
we can afford to bailout banks, we can afford to
invest in our children We need to fund approaches
that support families and communities
Other tested message frames Rebuild Economy
Moral Responsibility
Brain Development
Opportunity/American Dream
Kids Shortchanged in
Budget
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Voters Top Goals For Federal Childrens Programs
Which two of these are the most important goals
for federal childrens programs?
Preparing children for school, work, and
life Helping families become self-sufficient Impro
ving childrens health Equal opportunity for
all children Keeping children safe Helping
children to succeed Improving childrens
well-being
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Which Types Of People Are Priorities For Federal
Funding?
High priority for increased federal funding of
programs
Perceptions of Phrases
Children Kids Youth YoungPeople
Ages 2 to 14 Ages 3 to 15 Ages 10 to 19 Ages 13
to 22

Children Children and Youth Kids Families with
Children
60 54 53 46
rating of 8, 9, or 10 on a ten-point scale
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Supporting Message Programs Are Effective, Save
Money In Long Run

• We should invest more in childrens programs
  that are proven to work, but cut back those
  programs that arent getting the job done. (71
  strongly agree)
• Example Public housing with afterschool
  activities has 50 less vandalism and 37 less
  illegal drug activity.
• Funding childrens programs now will save money
  in the long run, through reduced crime, less
  remedial education, increased earnings, and less
  welfare dependency. (51 strongly agree)
• More effective than a pay now or pay later
  frame
• Example High quality early childhood education
  can return 16 for every 1 invested.
• Voters reject the idea that we can afford to
  support children and families because America is
  the wealthiest nation.

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Supporting Message Doing The Right Thing For
Americas Future

• Why dont childrens programs receive more
  priority in the federal budget? By a five-to-two
  ratio, voters say its political leaders making
  short-term decisions instead of doing whats
  right for the countrys future, not kids lack of
  political clout.
• Opponents are engaging in the same short-term
  thinking that got America into the troubles it
  faces today, instead of thinking about the
  nations future.
• 63 of voters agree that the impending retirement
  of Boomers is a reason to invest in children
  not a reason to cut back because the best way
  to provide todays workers with a secure
  retirement is to ensure that we have productive
  workers contributing to the economy in the
  future.

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Best Approach To Ohios Budget Shortfall
Currently Ohio is expected to have a budget
shortfall of over a billion dollars which one
of these approaches would you prefer state
government to take?
56
Mainlysome tax increases 23
Ohio voters worry more about state going too far
in raising taxes (57) than about making cuts in
services (39).
34
Even balance of tax increases/ spending cuts
Entirelyno tax increases 33
5
3 Some spending cuts 2 No spending
cuts
Tax increases
Spending cuts
Both
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Which Tax Increases Are Acceptable?
? Totally acceptable ? Mostly acceptable
Ohio voters
Raise cigarette/tobacco products taxes Raise tax
level for income over 200K Allow/tax
gambling Sales tax on lobbying and debt
collection Close loopholes corp income sent out
of state Increase corporate taxes Roll back
income tax cut Raise sales tax ½ cent Raise
personal income tax by ½ percentage pt
73
70
63
62
61
56
54
43
39
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Putting Tax Increases In Context Can Help
? Totally acceptable ? Mostly acceptable
Ohio voters
Raise tax level for income over 200K, which
restores them to 2004 levels Raise tax level for
income over 200K
72
70
Raise personal income tax by ½ percentage point,
which returns them to 2007 levels Raise personal
income tax by ½ percentage point
54
39
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Which Services Should Be Spared From Cuts?
Ohio voters
Law enforcement/ public safety PreK-12 public
schools Health care Services for elderly Services
for disabled Services for low income
people/children/families State colleges/
universities
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Key Findings

• Many voters express support for a major
  investment of federal dollars in childrens
  programs, but support is shallow.
• Most dont see CLCs agenda as a plausible
  response to the economic crisis. The case must
  rest on long-term benefits.
• A core message linking investments in children to
  Americas future strength is most effective at
  mobilizing and expanding support for CLCs
  agenda. This is about America, not just kids.
• A focus on children has the broadest appeal,
  while children and youth best covers zero to 21.

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Key Findings

• An effective message must also address key
  obstacles to support doubts about the efficacy
  of more funding, concern that benefits will go to
  undeserving poor.
• Programs benefit all children, not just those in
  low-income families.
• Investing in programs proven to work,
  demonstrate ROI from prior investments.
• Focus on outcomes both for kids and the nation
  not on dollars and budgets.

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Promoting The CLCs Agenda For Children
Strategic message findings from a nationwide
survey among 1,000 registered voters conducted
online November 15 18, 2008 for the Childrens
Leadership Council by