A new poll released this week suggests that the growth of radical left-wing authoritarianism in America is being driven solely by the country’s wealthiest citizens. Research by Scott Rasmussen has revealed a yawning gulf between regular Americans and “the elite one percent” — people living in densely populated urban centers with postgraduate degrees and a household income over $150,000.
Polling found that, relative to Americans at large, this group was much more Democrat, much more authoritarian, and much more willing to cheat to win elections.
Only 21 percent of elites told the pollster there is “not enough” individual freedom in America, while 47 percent said there is “too much.” This compares to 57 percent of voters overall who think there is “not enough” individual freedom, and just 16 percent who think there is “too much.”
Seventy-seven percent of elites said they would like to impose “restrictions and rationing” on private citizens’ access to gas, electricity, and even meat. In comparison, 63 percent of voters overall opposed such measures. Most elites also favored banning gas-powered vehicles, gas-burning stoves, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), “non-essential” air travel, and private air conditioning to fight “climate change.”
Rasmussen said his most “terrifying” finding was the proportion of elites who admitted they “would rather cheat than lose a close election.” Support for cheating stands at just seven percent among all voters but at 35 percent among elites — and an astonishing 69 percent among a subset of elites Rasmussen designated as “politically obsessed,” discussing politics daily.
The polling also found that Joe Biden has much stronger support among elites than the general population. Elites also have a much higher opinion of lawmakers, journalists, and professors, and more trust in government officials in general.
Their priorities are very different from the average American’s, with most voters listing border security and immigration among their top two or three issues. Not one elite respondent listed the border or immigration as a concern.
