As economic worries mount, 54% of American voters believe that tax cuts generally help the economy. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 15% believe tax cuts are bad for the economy. Nineteen percent (19%) say they have no impact while 12% are not sure.

Looking at the opposite end of the spectrum, 64% believe that tax increases harm the economy. Just 16% say they help.

Sixty-seven percent (67%) percent of voters say they’d be at least somewhat likely to support a Presidential candidate who proposed across-the-board tax cuts for all Americans.

At the same time, however, 59% favor a proposal to raise taxes on those who earn more than $200,000 a year.

But, as with everything in politics, skepticism must be considered. If a politician proposes raising taxes on those who earn more than $200,000 a year, 73% of voters say it’s at least somewhat likely that middle class taxes will end up getting hiked as well. Forty-two percent (42%) believe a middle-class tax hike would be Very Likely.

These figures come as the Rasmussen Consumer Index shows consumer confidence falling to the lowest level in nearly five years. As Congress tries to rally with a stimulus package, Americans are fairly evenly divided as to whether the legislators will end up helping or harming the economy.

Partisan divides are apparent on all questions in the survey.

Republicans, by a 75% to 8% margin, say that tax cuts are good for the economy. Democrats are far less certain—40% say tax cuts help, 24% say they hurt, and 20% say they have no impact. Among unaffiliated voters, 52% believe that tax cuts help while only 11% believe they hurt the economy.

Seventy-three percent (73%) of Republicans say that tax hikes hurt the economy. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of unaffiliated voters agree along with 53% of Democrats.

Seventy-one percent (71%) of Democrats favor raising taxes on the wealthy. Sixty-one percent (61%) of unaffiliateds agree along with 42% of Republicans.

Skepticism is felt among all political persuasions—81% of Republicans believe a politician promising to tax the rich would end up raising middle class taxes. Seventy percent (70%) of unaffiliateds agree. So do 67% of Democrats.

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