Welcome back to the Data for Progress newsletter, your update on our research, blog posts, and memes.

A Clean Jumpstart For America
On Friday, in collaboration with Evergreen Action, we released the Clean Jumpstart project — policy and polling to create millions of clean energy jobs to put Americans back to work in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Instead of small-minded fixes, we need a full, long-term economic recovery plan that takes advantage of this opportunity to confront the climate crisis. Our detailed 34-page policy agenda lays out an in-depth platform, including:

• Giving states greater access to federal investments and financing programs

• Investing directly in state and local environmental projects

• Supporting clean manufacturing and infrastructure

• Protecting natural resources in rural and agricultural communities

In a companion memo, we show that these policies are popular. There’s strong support for nearly everything we tested, from prioritizing federal funding towards small farms over agribusiness (77 percent support, 11 percent opposed), to stimulus spending on environmentally-friendly infrastructure (69 percent support, 19 percent opposed), to a “buy clean” rule for the federal government (62 percent support, 24 percent opposed).




Memo: Americans Urgently Need More Aid to Alleviate the Economic Impact of Coronavirus
In a new memo, we show that the economic impact of the coronavirus has been extremely disparate along racial lines. While 13 percent of white respondents said they’ve skipped bills for monthly expenses like rent, utilities, and insurance in the past two months, these figures are three times higher for people of color — 37 percent for Black Americans and 39 percent for Latinx Americans.




The Gig is Up: Coronavirus Pulls Back the Curtain on the Independent Contractor Epidemic
The millions of Americans working in the gig economy — including freelancers, independent contractors, and project-based “platform” workers like Uber drivers — have been left largely unprotected from the economic impacts of the coronavirus.

In a new memo, we show that 62 percent of Americans — including 72 percent of Democrats and 59 percent of Republicans — support giving gig economy workers the same job protections and benefits as those classified as “employees.”



We also found:

• 64 percent support for giving gig workers the same minimum wage protections as employees, and

• 51 percent support for allowing gig workers to organize, collectively bargain, and strike.

 

Memo: Voters Approve Active Fiscal and Monetary Policy, Oppose Trump’s Fed Chair-in-Waiting
President Trump is currently attempting to nominate Judy Shelton to the Federal Reserve — a person who has advocated for a gold standard, derided low interest rates, and supported a global common currency.

In a new memo, we show that voters oppose Shelton’s disastrous ideas. By a 20 percent margin, voters oppose the creation of a global currency (27 percent support, 47 percent opposed).



Shelton has also expressed skepticism towards federally-guaranteed deposit insurance, which protects the money in your bank if your bank fails. Only 27 percent of voters think the government should end deposit insurance, while 50 percent oppose.

While voters oppose Shelton’s conservative ideas, we find that they’re supportive of a more active Fed. A plurality of voters — 45 percent support, 34 percent opposed — said they think the Fed should have the power to give money directly to households during an economic recession.




Memo: Voters Support Native American Healthcare and Treaty Rights
The coronavirus has disproportionately harmed Native American communities, a problem that has been exacerbated by the underfunding of the Indian Health Service, which provides healthcare for Native Americans. In a recent survey, we asked voters if they’d support a $3 billion increase to Indian Health Service funding, and found an overwhelming, 54 percent margin of support:



We tested five measures to provide relief to tribal communities, and all five had bipartisan support. For example, 69 percent of Americans support holding the federal government legally responsible for failing to uphold its treaty obligations with tribes, while 15 percent oppose.




Gov. Phil Murphy: States Need Direct Cash Assistance from Washington
We have a new contributor: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. In a blog post, Murphy explains that without billions more in funds from the federal government, New Jersey could be forced to make enormous cuts to schools and health care facilities, as well as lay off public sector workers. “Decreasing services while increasing unemployment is a one-two punch that we do not need,” Murphy writes.

The good news? Americans are on Murphy’s side. 71 percent want the federal government to aid states and cities, while just 16 percent oppose.




Data Bytes

• Voters Support a Public Option for Broadband: Workers across the U.S. are now working from home, and school closures have forced many students to complete their coursework online. This has left families without adequate internet access in a particularly difficult position.
  
  A few weeks ago, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi proposed including a public option for broadband access in the next stimulus. Our polling finds that a solid 60 percent of voters support this idea, while 26 percent oppose.
  
  
   

• Coronavirus Relief Funds Should Go to People, Not Polluters: In a new blog post, U.S. Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán shows that Americans disagree with the Trump Administration’s prioritization of big polluters over the needs of families, workers and small businesses.
  
  The ReWIND Act, introduced by Barragán and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, would prevent the Trump Administration from using CARES Act funds to bail out fossil fuel corporations. Our polling finds that voters want stimulus money to be prioritized towards clean energy companies, not big polluters.
  
  
   

• Memo: Automatic Stabilizers Are Popular with Voters: Mitch McConnell and Congressional Republicans are showing reluctance to fully fund the stimulus and unemployment benefits our economy needs. Automatic stabilizers — which would automatically continue stimulus funding unless a certain precondition is met — are a fantastic way to provide relief without waiting on Congress.
  
  Not only are these stabilizers necessary, but they’re also popular. 65 percent of voters support an automatic spending increase during recessions, while 35 percent oppose.
  
  
   

• Support for the Green New Deal and Medicare for All Has Grown: Data for Progress polling was cited in a new Michelle Goldberg op-ed in the New York Times, showing that support for the Green New Deal and Medicare for All have risen since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Support for the Green New Deal has risen from 48 percent to 59 percent, and support for Medicare for All grew from 47 percent last November to 53 percent this March.
   

• Memo: The Government Must Increase SNAP Benefits and Eligibility: The coronavirus has created a global food crisis. A Brookings Institute survey found that nearly one in five households with young children don’t have enough food for their kids.
  
  Expanding SNAP benefits and relaxing the program’s work requirements is essential to addressing this crisis. We find that increasing SNAP funding has a 65-20 margin of support. Relaxing SNAP’s work requirements is supported by a 60-22 margin.
  
  

From The Blog
Voters Support a General Strike
DFP Coronavirus Tracking Poll Week 3
Voters Support A Public Option For Broadband
Expanding Coronavirus Aid to Mixed Immigration Status Families is Popular
How to Actually Build Things - A Response to Marc Andreeson
Has Joe Biden Improved Democratic Performance Among 65+ Old Voters So Far?
Public Opinion about Federalism during the Coronavirus Pandemic
The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Made Voters More Supportive of the Green New Deal
States Need Direct Cash Assistance From Washington to Prevent a Spike in Unemployment and to Keep First Responders and Educators on the Job
In Georgia, Coronavirus and Environmental Racism Combine
DFP Coronavirus Response Tracking Poll Week 4
Electric FREAKING Postal Vans
Coronavirus Relief Funds Should go to People, Not Polluters
DFP Coronavirus Response Tracking Poll Week 5
The Bronx Is an Epicenter for Coronavirus and Environmental Injustice


Memos
Memo: Voters Support Raising the Minimum Wage for All Workers
Memo: The Gig is Up - Coronavirus Pulls Back the Curtain on the Independent Contractor Epidemic
Memo: Voters Approve Active Fiscal and Monetary Policy, Oppose Trump's Fed Chair-in-Waiting
Memo: The Role of Overdose Prevention Sites in Coronavirus Response
Memo: Americans Urgently Need More Aid to Alleviate the Economic Impact of Coronavirus
Memo: Voters Support Green Bailouts of Industry
Memo: The Majority of California Residents Support Housing as a Human Right
Memo: Voters Support Native American Healthcare and Treaty Rights
Memo: Helping People Transition from Incarceration to Society During a Pandemic
Memo: What Americans Think about Worker Power and Organization - Lessons from a New Survey
Memo: Automatic Stabilizers are Popular with Voters
Memo: A Clean Jumpstart to Rebuild America’s Economy Public Opinion Polling and Analysis
Memo: A Clean Jumpstart to Rebuild State Economies Voters Support Flexible Aid for Cities and States
Memo: A Plan for a Clean Jumpstart to Rebuild America’s Economy - Policy Proposals and Guidance
Memo: The Government Must Increase SNAP Benefits and Eligibility to Avoid a National Food Emergency
Memo: Securing American Elections in Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic


Media Hits
Jay Inslee's Climate Team Has a $1.5 Trillion Green Coronavirus Stimulus Plan @Gizmodo
Democrats want Elizabeth Warren to be Joe Biden’s vice president: poll @New York Post
Companies’ bad response to the pandemic is leading to greater support for worker power @Fast Company
The numbers make the case for a paycheck guarantee @The Hill
Ex-Inslee staffers launch climate group with $1.5T stimulus proposal @The Hill
The Case for Universal Rental Assistance @The Appeal


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