ISSUE #27
JULY 2025
New PPC Survey: Bipartisan Support for UN Engagement and ICC Membership
A new survey from the Program for Public Consultation (PPC) at the University of Maryland reveals strong bipartisan public support for continued U.S. participation in major UN agencies, as the current administration reevaluates US commitments to them and has started withdrawing from the World Health Organization.
Large majorities of both Republicans and Democrats favor U.S. participation in eight UN agencies, including the World Health Organization and the UN’s peacekeeping activities, and oppose reducing the US’ involvement in the UN system. An overwhelming 84% of respondents said the U.S. should work through the UN and its agencies more or the same amount it has been. The survey also found widespread opposition to recent policy moves targeting the International Criminal Court with sanctions. Only 29% support sanctioning ICC staff in the case that they issue an arrest warrant for a leader of a US ally. Furthermore, a bipartisan majority favor the US joining the ICC, which it helped establish but has never joined, including 57% of Republicans and 72% of Democrats. Click here for the full survey results.
Americans Would Make a Completely Different Budget Than the One Congress Passed
A new survey from PPC finds that majorities of Americans, across party lines, favor a federal budget that differs dramatically from the one Congress is advancing. Majorities support raising taxes on high earners, cutting defense spending and preserving funding for programs like Medicaid. In contrast, the current congressional proposal extends tax cuts for the wealthy, increases military spending and slashes healthcare support.
When given a chance to set their own budget, majorities of the public converged on changes that would reduce the deficit by $703 billion. Most of the deficit reduction was achieved by increasing taxes on high incomes and wealth, and reducing defense spending – each of which garnered majority support among both Republicans and Democrats. Majorities also opposed reducing spending on SNAP, Medicaid or medical research. One area of agreement between the public and Congress was in tax relief for workers, by eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay. Click here for the full survey results.
Public Opinion Analysis: “This Is Not My Beautiful Bill”
A new analysis of public opinion published in The Fulcrum by PPC’s Steven Kull and Evan Lewitus reveals that the sweeping “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) recently signed into law is broadly out of step with public opinion. Drawing on data from PPC surveys and multiple national polls, the analysis shows that majorities of Americans oppose nearly all of the bill’s key provisions, including extending 2017 tax cuts for high earners, cutting Medicaid and SNAP, expanding defense and immigration enforcement spending and eliminating clean energy tax credits. The piece highlights consistent bipartisan support for raising taxes on the wealthy, preserving safety net programs like SNAP and Medicaid and maintaining incentives for clean energy and electric vehicles.
Do People Want to Reduce Taxes on Their Own Income Groups?
PPC conducted an analysis of responses to the tax proposals in its 2025 budget survey to see if respondents’ acted in a purely self-interested manner by lowering taxes on their own income group, while raising taxes on other income groups in order to reduce the deficit. In the survey, respondents were able to change the effective income tax rate for multiple income groups, as well as adopt new taxes – some of which would only affect certain income groups. Respondents were shown the effect of each of their choices on the budget deficit.
The analysis found that majorities of both high and low income people did not reduce taxes on any income group, including their own – in opposition to the self-interested theory of public opinion. Instead, majorities of both low and high income people actually raised taxes on high incomes (see chart below). And strikingly, a greater percent of high income people favored adopting a new tax on the trades of stocks and bonds, which would primarily impact high income households. These findings align with other public opinion research which has found that policy preferences are often based on ideology and society-wide considerations rather than just immediate personal material considerations.
Participatory AI Design in the Public Sector
A new study titled “Emerging Practices in Participatory AI Design in Public Sector Innovation” spotlights how governments are involving citizens and communities in AI policymaking and system design. Through detailed case studies, the paper examines real-world efforts to bring public voices into algorithm development. A forthcoming hybrid workshop – part of the CHI 2025 conference in Yokohama – will collect insights from both practitioners and civic stakeholders on participatory design methods.The paper champions inclusive AI governance, positioning public participation as essential in government AI systems. It surfaces best practices and barriers: from co-design sessions that build trust to challenges in scaling engagement methods. Its forthcoming workshop offers a real-time forum to shape and refine participatory frameworks in public-sector AI design. For policymakers, technologists, and civic groups globally, this research provides a timely roadmap for embedding meaningful public consultation into algorithmic governance.