Public sides with liberals on where to cut spending

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

If you had to choose one, which would you be willing to change in order to cut government spending?
Military 55
Medicare 21
Social Security 13
No Opinion 10

If you had to choose one, which of the following domestic programs would you be willing to reduce in order to cut government spending?
Roads, bridges and other infrastructure 34
Science and medical research 26
Aid to the unemployed and poor 21
Education 8
No opinion 11

If you had to choose one, which of the following changes to Medicare benefits would you prefer in order to reduce the federal budget deficit?*
Raising the premiums high-income Medicare recipients have to pay 48
Raising the age people start receiving Medicare benefits 21
Raising the premiums all Medicare recipients have to pay 16
Covering fewer treatments 9
No opinion 6


If you had to choose one, which of the following changes to Social Security benefits would you prefer in order to keep the program financially sound?
Reducing benefits for Americans with higher incomes 66
Raising the age people start receiving full Social Security benefits 18
Reducing scheduled benefit increases for future retirees 8
No opinion 8


http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/01/20/us/poll-graphic.html?ref=politics

Of course Obama is probably to the right of the American people, as usual.

[tpfkaw]

On #1 I'd choose "military" too.  Doesn't mean I don't also favor cutting the others (or, in the case of most people, that they don't favor not cutting any).  The second question doesn't really have a "conservative" or "liberal" answer, while the third and fourth have people agreeing with Republican proposals that have been flatly rejected by Democrats, so I'm having a hard trouble seeing what your point is here.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

On #1 I'd choose "military" too.  Doesn't mean I don't also favor cutting the others (or, in the case of most people, that they don't favor not cutting any).  The second question doesn't really have a "conservative" or "liberal" answer, while the third and fourth have people agreeing with Republican proposals that have been flatly rejected by Democrats, so I'm having a hard trouble seeing what your point is here.

Reducing benefits for the wealthy are Republican proposals?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

On #1 I'd choose "military" too.  Doesn't mean I don't also favor cutting the others (or, in the case of most people, that they don't favor not cutting any).  The second question doesn't really have a "conservative" or "liberal" answer, while the third and fourth have people agreeing with Republican proposals that have been flatly rejected by Democrats, so I'm having a hard trouble seeing what your point is here.

Reducing benefits for the wealthy are Republican proposals?

Yea, I have actually seen it preposed by some Republicans. The most prominent being Lindsay Graham who said "There is no reason the federal gov't should be paying for my prescription drugs".

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

On #1 I'd choose "military" too.  Doesn't mean I don't also favor cutting the others (or, in the case of most people, that they don't favor not cutting any).  The second question doesn't really have a "conservative" or "liberal" answer, while the third and fourth have people agreeing with Republican proposals that have been flatly rejected by Democrats, so I'm having a hard trouble seeing what your point is here.

Reducing benefits for the wealthy are Republican proposals?

Yea, I have actually seen it preposed by some Republicans. The most prominent being Lindsay Graham who said "There is no reason the federal gov't should be paying for my prescription drugs".

So maybe 5-10 Republicans would vote for cloture on this?

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

On #1 I'd choose "military" too.  Doesn't mean I don't also favor cutting the others (or, in the case of most people, that they don't favor not cutting any).  The second question doesn't really have a "conservative" or "liberal" answer, while the third and fourth have people agreeing with Republican proposals that have been flatly rejected by Democrats, so I'm having a hard trouble seeing what your point is here.

Reducing benefits for the wealthy are Republican proposals?

Yea, I have actually seen it preposed by some Republicans. The most prominent being Lindsay Graham who said "There is no reason the federal gov't should be paying for my prescription drugs".

So maybe 5-10 Republicans would vote for cloture on this?

no, means testing is supported by many Republicans (McCain, Daniels, Ryan, Boehner) and few Democrat politicians (Pelosi said in 2003 that Democrats were "united in their opposition") Democrats want to give the impression that entitlements are sacrosanct, and cutting benefits for anyone would undermine this.

[Keystone Phil]

If you had to choose one, which of the following domestic programs would you be willing to reduce in order to cut government spending?
Roads, bridges and other infrastructure 34
Science and medical research 26
Aid to the unemployed and poor 21
Education 8
No opinion 11

If you had to choose one, which of the following changes to Medicare benefits would you prefer in order to reduce the federal budget deficit?*
Raising the premiums high-income Medicare recipients have to pay 48
Raising the age people start receiving Medicare benefits 21
Raising the premiums all Medicare recipients have to pay 16
Covering fewer treatments 9
No opinion 6

Interesting examples of "siding with liberals."

[memphis]

On #1 I'd choose "military" too.  Doesn't mean I don't also favor cutting the others (or, in the case of most people, that they don't favor not cutting any).  The second question doesn't really have a "conservative" or "liberal" answer, while the third and fourth have people agreeing with Republican proposals that have been flatly rejected by Democrats, so I'm having a hard trouble seeing what your point is here.

Reducing benefits for the wealthy are Republican proposals?

Yea, I have actually seen it preposed by some Republicans. The most prominent being Lindsay Graham who said "There is no reason the federal gov't should be paying for my prescription drugs".

So maybe 5-10 Republicans would vote for cloture on this?

Don't count on it. McConnell will tell them not to.

[krazen1211]

http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/downchart_gs.php?year=1995_2015&view=1&expand=&units=d&fy=fy11&chart=20-total&bar=1&stack=1&size=m&title=&state=US&color=c&local=s


US government spending on education has far outpaced inflation and population growth. This is the first place that should be slashed.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

On #1 I'd choose "military" too.  Doesn't mean I don't also favor cutting the others (or, in the case of most people, that they don't favor not cutting any).  The second question doesn't really have a "conservative" or "liberal" answer, while the third and fourth have people agreeing with Republican proposals that have been flatly rejected by Democrats, so I'm having a hard trouble seeing what your point is here.

Reducing benefits for the wealthy are Republican proposals?

Yea, I have actually seen it preposed by some Republicans. The most prominent being Lindsay Graham who said "There is no reason the federal gov't should be paying for my prescription drugs".

So maybe 5-10 Republicans would vote for cloture on this?

Don't count on it. McConnell will tell them not to.

lol. More then likely, it will be Reid who blocks the damn thing by refusing to bring it to a vote.

http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/downchart_gs.php?year=1995_2015&view=1&expand=&units=d&fy=fy11&chart=20-total&bar=1&stack=1&size=m&title=&state=US&color=c&local=s


US government spending on education has far outpaced inflation and population growth. This is the first place that should be slashed.

Another piece of BS is the how sacrosanct education spending is. It has risen considerably yet the situation has got worse. Education spending should be frozen in place or even reduced by about 5% to 10%. Then increased only to fund fundamental changes like merit pay or once a broad range of reforms have been increased. Its time we stop throwing money at education and actually to see what we are getting for our money's worth, and make the changes necessary to turn it around so they are getting some benefits on the education front.

[Franzl]

Sure the public sides with the left-wing on spending cuts, just as it sides with the right-wing over tax issues.

Voters want to somehow pay no taxes while maintaining every public service imaginable.

[krazen1211]

Another piece of BS is the how sacrosanct education spending is. It has risen considerably yet the situation has got worse. Education spending should be frozen in place or even reduced by about 5% to 10%. Then increased only to fund fundamental changes like merit pay or once a broad range of reforms have been increased. Its time we stop throwing money at education and actually to see what we are getting for our money's worth, and make the changes necessary to turn it around so they are getting some benefits on the education front.

Yep.

1995   7414.7   400.46   a
1996   7838.5   415.52   a
1997   8332.4   438.55   a
1998   8793.5   468.93   a
1999   9353.5   498.75   a
2000   9951.5   545.68   a
2001   10286.2   577.84   a
2002   10642.3   623.42   a
2003   11142.1   648.92   a
2004   11867.8   685.03   a
2005   12638.4   735.28   a
2006   13398.9   790.59   a
2007   14077.6   814.17   a
2008   14441.4   858.85   a
2009   14258.2   852.91   e
2010   14623.9   921.21   g



US education spending has increased far beyond inflation and population growth. Why? I have no idea.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Sure the public sides with the left-wing on spending cuts, just as it sides with the right-wing over tax issues.

Voters want to somehow pay no taxes while maintaining every public service imaginable.

Of course, but it has always been like that you know. I explained the other day that it has to be ignored. You will never see a bunch of seniors asking for their SS to be cut. But they may accept it as a necessary evil if you make the case that it is essentiall to be done.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Another piece of BS is the how sacrosanct education spending is. It has risen considerably yet the situation has got worse. Education spending should be frozen in place or even reduced by about 5% to 10%. Then increased only to fund fundamental changes like merit pay or once a broad range of reforms have been increased. Its time we stop throwing money at education and actually to see what we are getting for our money's worth, and make the changes necessary to turn it around so they are getting some benefits on the education front.

Yep.

1995   7414.7   400.46   a
1996   7838.5   415.52   a
1997   8332.4   438.55   a
1998   8793.5   468.93   a
1999   9353.5   498.75   a
2000   9951.5   545.68   a
2001   10286.2   577.84   a
2002   10642.3   623.42   a
2003   11142.1   648.92   a
2004   11867.8   685.03   a
2005   12638.4   735.28   a
2006   13398.9   790.59   a
2007   14077.6   814.17   a
2008   14441.4   858.85   a
2009   14258.2   852.91   e
2010   14623.9   921.21   g



US education spending has increased far beyond inflation and population growth. Why? I have no idea.

Because it looks good on the papers and on the reelection campaign trail. Nothing like children for an emir of incumbestan to hide behind.