Executive Summary:
New Voter Research from Dr. Frank Luntz Tells a Story of America ‘In Trouble,’ ‘American Dream’ Out of Reach for Most
Research Shows ‘Rise of Socialism,’ ‘Rising Anger,’ and Misunderstanding of “Savings Penalty Tax” on the Country’s Most Successful
Overview
In May 2026, Dr. Frank Luntz, well-known pollster and communications strategist, gave a private presentation entitled “Economic Opportunity & Wealth in America.” The presentation started with a provocative statement: “America is in trouble.” Over 100 attendees listened to Luntz, reviewed the new research, and asked questions about the where voters are today.
The survey of 1,000 American voters was conducted in late April 2026 and covered a range of topics, from the rise of socialism to affordability to the increased desire to create a “savings penalty tax” on the most successful in our country.
The research was sponsored by Family Enterprise USA Action. Family Enterprise USA Action engages with legislators on Capitol Hill on behalf of family-owned businesses, family offices, and hardworking families. It is focused exclusively on the critical tax and economic policies that impact them.
Research Highlights: What Voters Are Saying
The Luntz survey found:
- 70% of Americans believe the economic system is “unfair”
- 55% say they are “just keeping up” or “falling behind” with their personal finances
- More than a third, or 38%, of voters want to “see more socialism and less capitalism” in our economy, the highest percentage since 2009 when it was 23%.
More/Less Taxation While American Dream ‘Fading’
When it came to asking voters about “The American Dream:”
- The survey found 59% believed the American Dream was “less attainable now” than when they “were growing up.”
In addition, the survey found:
- Less than a third of American’s think “the country cares about” them.
- 74% of voters believe “we have a government spending problem instead of a revenue problem, including 64% of Democrats and 87% of Republicans
- 54% said they wanted to make “the wealthy” pay more taxes, while 46% said the middle class should “pay less in taxes.”
- With the rise of many state and federal proposals to create a new “Wealth Tax,” research showed most voters “don’t understand the term,” is better described as a “savings penalty tax.”
Quotes from Dr. Luntz
On America’s Future:
“If you care about the future of America and its family-owned businesses, you want to pay attention to what this research says. The findings clearly point to a popular rise in favorable view of socialism, and more importantly voters feel the American Dream is now out of reach for most.”
On Affordability and Government Waste:
“The cost of basics, like food and gas, are unaffordable and it’s all about affordability and cutting waste, fraud, and corruption in our government’s spending.”
On the “Wealth Tax” or “Savings Penalty Tax”
“When you tell voters a Wealth Tax is taxing both income and assets, support drops dramatically.”
In Summary:
“If we don’t wake up and address these issues, we’re going to find the America we all know, and love, will no longer be recognizable in the near future.”
“We need to create a tax code that promotes a healthy economy, good jobs, and an affordable lifestyle. We have too many loopholes and too much government waste and fraud in our system.”
Download the Executive Summary
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Family Enterprise USA Action engages with legislators on Capitol Hill on behalf of family offices, successful families, and family-owned businesses. It is focused exclusively on the critical tax and economic policies that impact them. Since 1995, FEUSA Action has been the leading advocacy group working daily in Washington, D.C., to reduce and eliminate estate tax, gift tax, and generation skipping transfer tax while blocking increased income and capital gains taxes, the creation of a wealth tax, and other hostile policies that punish hardworking taxpayers and success in the U.S. It is a bipartisan 501.c4 organization.