FiveThirtyEight: GOP Tax Cuts More Unpopular Than Past Tax Hikes

Congressional Republicans' tax cuts legislation is so historically unpopular that it outranks past tax hikes in terms of its unfavorability among voters, according to an analysis by FiveThirtyEight.

Just 32 percent approve of the proposed tax cut legislation while 46 percent disapprove, according to FiveThirtyEight's composite average of five different polls.

It is the first tax cut since 1981 to not be on the plus side in terms of favorables, according to FiveThirtyEight. Further, the legislation is hated more than two tax hikes from the 1990s:

• Bill Clinton's tax increase in 1993: -10 in favorability.
• George H.W. Bush's tax increase in 1990: -11 in favorability.
• Most popular tax cuts, according to FiveThirtyEight:
• Ronald Reagan's tax cut I in 1981: +25 percent favorability.
• George W. Bush tax cut I in 2001: +12 favorability.
• Extending Bush tax cuts I in 2010: +12 favorability.

The major driver plunging support for Republicans' proposed legislation is that it's seen as a tax cut for the wealthy.

"The sentiment from voters: The GOP tax plan is a great idea, if you are rich. Otherwise, you're out of luck," Quinnipiac wrote.

According to a Washington Post/ABC poll, 60 percent say it favors the rich; just 13 percent said it favors the middle class.

• Larry Kudlow: GOP Plan Isn't 'True Tax Reform Bill'
• Sen. Coons: Tax Reform Passage More Likely After Committee Action