Pew Research poll- Budget cuts/spending-we're all going to hell

[Trajan]

There's something here for everyone to hate and send us all to hell; right, left, center...see the chart...Aid to the world needy, biggest thumbs down of all..tsk tsk...

Fickle are the fates...and public opinion.

The public’s views about federal spending are beginning to change. Across a range of federal programs, Americans are no longer calling for increased spending, as they have for many years. For the most part, however, there is not a great deal of support for cutting spending, though in a few cases support for reductions has grown noticeably. The survey also shows that the public is reluctant to cut spending – or raise taxes – to balance state budgets.

Since June 2009, there have been double-digit declines in the proportions favoring increased federal spending for health care (by 20 percentage points), government assistance for the unemployed (17 points), Medicare (13 points) and veterans’ benefits and services (12 points). Fewer Americans also favor increased spending on military defense (down nine points) and environmental protection (seven points).

In two areas in particular – aid for the unemployed and national defense – the public’s attitudes toward federal spending have changed dramatically. Currently, as many favor decreasing spending as increasing spending for assistance to the unemployed and national defense. In 2009, far more supported funding increases than decreases for these programs.

Despite these changing views, however, majorities or pluralities favor increased spending in five of 18 areas. Fully 62% favor increased funding for education – the highest percentage for any program tested and little changed from 2009 (67%). In all, there is only one area – economic assistance to needy people around the world – for which a plurality favors cutting federal spending.

more at-
Fewer Want Spending to Grow, But Most Cuts Remain Unpopular: Overview - Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

 

[Trajan]

the disparity between tea party republicans and the rest? unreal.

only 29-18 against more SS sppt? and EDUCATION? my god.........

If I wasn't a libertarian yet, I am almost there.

 

[Flopper]

Well, if nobody wants to cut spending, then we reduce the deficit by.....

 

[Toro]

It's one of those things. "I'd like to increase spending for XXX ... but DON'T RAISE MY TAXES. La-dee-da-dee-da..."

 

[uscitizen]

i notice military was listed as military defense. We have been spending more on offense in the last decade than defense.

Everyone just wants everyone else to pay for the govt and do not cut my stuff.

 

[Trajan]

i notice military was listed as military defense. We have been spending more on offense in the last decade than defense.

Everyone just wants everyone else to pay for the govt and do not cut my stuff.

yea well, "terror defense" doesn't exactly shine either.....

 

[Avorysuds]

It's all coming to an end... People that support spending can always talk about the days when they made the "moral choice," during another great depression.

Really, you can only spend vastly more than you have for so long before it all comes chrashing down. Of course, you're allowed to not agree with that basic fact of life, but an opionion won't change the outcome.

 

[Avatar4321]

Well, if nobody wants to cut spending, then we reduce the deficit by.....

We don't.

 

[Avatar4321]

The only thing I feel at all upset about there is that we aren't cutting enough

 

[Londoner]

FDR believed that spending was acceptable when it was an investment in people.

He trusted Americans.

He didn't call them welfare queens.

He thought that if you give people a leg-up, they will make something of themselves.

Reagan's family was poor and besieged by the Great Depression.

FDR gave the Reagan's a leg-up.

He invested in the Reagan Family.

He used government to help lift them out of poverty.

Did the investment pay off?

Or was it a handout?

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

He thought that if you give people a leg-up, they will make something of themselves.

He was wrong.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

That so many people actually believe we should throw more money into the financial black hole of public education just shows what ignoramuses the American public are.

 

[Flopper]

It's all coming to an end... People that support spending can always talk about the days when they made the "moral choice," during another great depression.

Really, you can only spend vastly more than you have for so long before it all comes chrashing down. Of course, you're allowed to not agree with that basic fact of life, but an opionion won't change the outcome.

No, it does not come crashing down. You sink slowly into an economic swamp of inflation and economic stagnation. It can be reversed at anytime but the longer we wait the more painful.

We are coming out of the recession. Most indicators are pointed toward continued progress. Some economist are looking for unemployment to fall to 8.5% by the end of the year and to 8 in 2012. We should be using this upsurge in economic activity to get public support to create a package of reasonable tax increases and spending cuts to reduce the deficit. As long as we don't go too far, we won't hurt the recovery. Since neither party has control of congress, a meaningful cut in the deficit must include both spending cuts and tax increases, otherwise we continue as we are.

 

[Trajan]

That so many people actually believe we should throw more money into the financial black hole of public education just shows what ignoramuses the American public are.

I agree and that the number was so high, truly astounds me.