The Split between Political Parties on Economic Issues: A Survey of Republicans, Democrats, and Economists

The results of a survey of 2,500 national delegates to the 1992 Republican and Democratic National Conventions on thirty-nine economic propositions are reported and compared and contrasted to the views held by economists on the same or similar propositions. Substantive differences between Republicans and Democrats emerge on issues of trade, stabilization policies, and income redistribution. Of particular interest and concern to economists are those areas where there is agreement between the political delegations (e.g., the view that large deficits in the balance of trade cause adverse impacts on the economy) that are at odds with the consensus view of economists.