FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 20, 2022
CONTACT
Logan Elizabeth Padgett
850-386-3131
lpadgett@jamesmadison.org
NEW POLL: FL Voters Are Focused on Inflation; Believe Tech Regulation Will Increase Consumer Prices
TALLAHASSEE — Florida voters are overwhelmingly concerned about inflation and the rising costs of consumer goods (42%) over other issues such as immigration (9%) and gun control (8%), according to a new poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies on behalf of the James Madison Institute.
Floridians also said, by an 83%-9% margin, controlling inflation should be the top regulatory priority of Congress and the federal government rather than focusing on regulating America’s largest technology companies.
The findings come on the heels of a handful of federal lawmakers pushing to increase regulatory action by Congress and the Federal Trade Commission, instead of prioritizing inflationary measures. In fact, the new poll revealed that Floridians believe pursuing federal antitrust laws by Congress will actually increase, not decrease, inflation and prices on consumer goods, which could result in voters taking action at the ballot box for candidates who are pursuing policies that will raise prices.
“Voters in Florida are very clear; they’re concerned about the economy and inflation and believe acting on policies to break up American technology companies is not only unfair, but will also increase prices on consumer goods,” said Robert Blizzard, a partner at Public Opinion Strategies. “Pursuing policies in Washington like antitrust is a lose-lose situation. Focusing on these policies could actually be detrimental for lawmakers seeking reelection.”
Voters were also clear that if any tech policies were advanced, Congress should prioritize legislation to prevent cyberattacks (25%), increase security measures to better protect children online (18%), and alert customers involved in data breaches (18%).
“The poll confirms that Florida voters don’t want heavy-handed government regulations that will increase prices and stifle innovation,” said Sal Nuzzo, Vice President of Policy, The James Madison Institute. “As inflation continues to stifle the economy, voters are right to demand their elected officials focus on the kind of free-market principles that will lead to lower costs on everyday goods.”
Additional Key Findings From the Poll
- 83% of Floridians think requiring companies to alert consumers when their data may have been impacted in a data breach is very important.
- 73% of Floridians believe that a free market generates more innovation than a tightly-regulated market and that Corporate America generates more innovation than the government.
- Only 9% of respondents believe that regulating big tech companies should be a top priority for Congress right now – coming in dead last on issues of priority for voters.
- A plurality of Floridians believe it is unfair for Congress to target tech companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple based on their size, and that sentiment spans across all ethnicities.
- Floridians also believe increased regulation on companies should apply to all companies equally, not just the ones Congress decides are “Big Tech.”
About the polling:
On behalf of The James Madison Institute, Public Opinion Strategies completed a survey of 600 registered voters in Florida via an online sample. The survey was conducted from August 29 to September 1, 2022, and has a credibility interval of +4.56%.
You can view the poll results here: https://bit.ly/JMITechPoll
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The James Madison Institute is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to the ideals of limited government, economic freedom, federalism and individual liberty coupled with individual responsibility. The institute conducts research on such issues as criminal justice, health care, taxes and regulatory environments.
