Americans think California-style stimulus checks make inflation worse, but many want them anyway

But as over 15 state governments that include California and Florida have taken steps to provide residents some relief, there's reason to believe many Americans are hoping their states do the same.

The same September Pollfish poll — which reported a 5% margin of error — found that 75% of those surveyed "support the idea of stimulus checks as a government response to inflation." A May Public Policy Institute of California survey of over 1,700 Californians found that 62% supported the state's $18 billion inflation relief plan, the majority of which is going towards relief payments.

In California, the government is pushing up against a state cap on government spending, which is among the reasons the state is sending money to taxpayers

California residents, for instance, could ultimately benefit from the extra government dollars in their pockets — even if it adds to nationwide pricing pressures that hurt the Americans without government checks to help them keep up. 

But Furman added that Californians would "come out behind" when other states make inflation relief payments: "There is an unfortunate individual state rationality to all of this, and that adds up to collective irrationality."