Public Opinion
Women in the Workforce
Three in four Democrats and 58% of independents say Washington should pursue policies to address inequality, a sentiment that was shared by just two in five Republicans (a partisan split among citizens). The vast majority of Americans (79%) reject the idea that women should return to their traditional roles. Yet about half responded that children are better off if a mother is at home and doesn't hold a job. The public is conflicted; but the public sees the economic beenfits to families, but they also see the drawbacks for children. And there are sort of deeply ingrained feelings about the roles of mothers and fathers in their children's lives.
Minimum Wage
About two in three Americans say the wage floor should be lifted. However, the average wage suggested is $9.41 an hour, not $10.10. 85% of Democrats are for raising minimum wage, while Republicans are split 50-50. The Democrats tend to beleive that minimum wage can be heightened without adverse effects on employment. The Republicans oppose the heightened minimum wage because they believe it would reduce the number of jobs and increase layoffs. While most Americans support a higher minimum wage, a majority also don't believe workers should expect minimum wage jobs
to be long-term positions. Instead, 61% view minimum wage jobs as stepping-stones to help lower-skilled or younger workers gain experiences. 73% say the government should set a minimum wage and 24% oppose, nearly identical to the shares supporting a wage increase.
