This article examines how government support responds to social welfare rhetoric and spending in Britain, Spain, and the United States.

Issue Ownership Theory: Voters often expect left-wing parties to prioritize social welfare. However, this study finds no evidence that such rhetoric translates into tangible gains for these governments.

Empirical Findings: Using time-series cross-sectional analysis across three countries, we demonstrate that increased government spending on social welfare significantly reduces support for all governing parties—both left and right. These results challenge the assumption that acting on salient issues benefits incumbents.

Strategic Dilemma: Our findings highlight a political conundrum: governments face an uphill battle if they wish to implement promises made in their campaign rhetoric without suffering negative electoral consequences.