Sixty-four percent (64%) of voters think it’s likely that companies selling mask coverings are financially supporting campaigns to continue pandemic related mask mandates. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that just 23% disagree and 12% are not sure.
Those totals include 34% who believe it’s very likely and 9% who say it’s Not at All Likely.
Similar results were found on the question of vaccine passports. Sixty-two percent (62%) think think companies offering COVID vaccines and tests are financially supporting campaigns to require vaccine passports. Just 20% disagree.
This skepticism suggests that Americans instinctively understand the political dynamics of the regulatory process. The process has been explained by the example of the Bootleggers and the Baptists. Powerful regulations often result from an unholy alliance between true believers and those who profit from the belief. Prohibition came about because Baptists were true believers and Bootleggers profited immensely from the fact that alcohol could not legally be purchased.
In this case, at least 57% of every measured demographic group consider it likely that mask companies are funding campaigns for mask mandates. One interesting dynamic is that the lowest level of skepticism on this point is found among people who would prefer policies like those offered by Bernie Sanders. Sanders’ style of populism is generally considered to have a strong bias against corporate elites. However, on this question, it is those who prefer Trump-like policies who are the most skeptical. On the question of mask mandates, 77% who prefer Trump policies believe campaigns are being funded by mask manufacturers. That’s 20-points higher than the number among Sanders-style populists.
This finding suggests that people on all sides of the political debate may be more skeptical about corporate motives when they disagree with the underlying policy objective. It is highly likely that supporters of Sanders-style populism would be more skeptical than those who prefer Trump-style populism on many issues.
Support for policies of a certain candidate were determined by the following question: Suppose you had a choice between four presidential candidates. All four had equal skills and temperament. Would you prefer a Republican who supported policies like President Trump, a more traditional Republican, a Democrat who supported policies similar to Senator Bernie Sanders, or a more traditional Democrat?
Over the past six months, responses to this question show that, on the GOP side of the aisle, Trump policies are strongly preferred over a traditional Republican. Democrats, on the other hand, are even divided between those who favor traditional Democrats or candidates pursuing Sanders’ policies.
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Note: Neither Scott Rasmussen, ScottRasmussen.com, nor RMG Research, Inc. have any affiliation with Rasmussen Reports. While Scott Rasmussen founded that firm, he left more than seven years ago and has had no involvement since that time.
Methodology
The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted by Scott Rasmussen using a mixed mode approach from April 8-10, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Most respondents were contacted online or via text while 217 were contacted using automated phone polling techniques. Online respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.
