Voters' Attitudes Toward The Budget Deficit & National Debt

8/14/2019 Voters' Attitudes Toward The Budget Deficit & National Debt

1/13

Voters Attitudes

Toward The BudgetDeficit & National Debt

Key findings from nationwide survey conducted February 2009for

HARTRESEARCH

I


2/13

Voters on Budget Deficit & National Debt February 2009 Hart/Public Opinion Strategies for2

Methodology

Telephone survey among 1,008 registered votersnationwide, February 18 23, 2009 Margin of error = 3.1 percentage points overall,

higher among subgroups

Interactive Dialogue System focus group amonga diverse group of 25 participants, conductedOctober 27, 2008, in Cleveland, Ohio

Six focus groups conducted August October 2008

Two groups each in Kansas City, Atlanta, Philadelphia One group each among young male voters, young

female voters, male swing voters, female swing voters,Medicare beneficiaries, rising retirees ages 55 to 64


3/13


Voters Agenda For Obama IncludesAddressing Budget Problems

20%

24%

29%

42%

78%Get the economy back

on track and peopleback to work

Get our financial house inorder/deal with growing

budget deficit & natl debt

Deal with war in Iraq/otherinternational challenges

Pass health care reformso health care is moreaccessible/affordable

Cut taxes for themiddle class

One or Two Top Priorities on which President Obama Should Focus


4/13


Budget Deficit/National DebtOutranks Other Threats

24%

51%

58%

57%

Very big threat to our country/future Fairly big threat to our country/future

Growing budget deficitand national debt

Manufacturing jobscontinuing to move

overseas

Country not friendly toU.S. developing nuclear

weapons capabilities

Schools not providingstudents skills/knowledge

to compete in globaleconomy

Global climate change

85%

78%

77%

71%

41%

66% (58% Dem, 72% Ind, 73% GOP)


5/13


DemocratsIndependents

Republicans

46%50%

46%

African AmericansHigh school/less educ

Blue-collar households

62%53%

55%

8%

43%

47%

Voters Split On Whether Now Is TheTime To Address Budget Problems

Time Frame for Dealing with Federal Budget Deficit/National Debt

Must act now to address deficit/national debt; economy wont be stable until webegin to solve problems threatening long-term health/security of U.S. economy

Not good time for additional sacrifices in current recession/with economicchallenges, (tax increase, program cuts); address after economy turns around

Dont need major steps to address deficit/national debt; had surplus not long ago,had huge deficit a few years later: these fluctuations dont have much real impact


6/13


Voters Split On Basic ApproachTo Addressing Budget Problems

Spending less on programs

such as education, defense,and law enforcement

Increasing taxes

Making major reforms toentitlement programs suchas Medicare and Social

Security

25%22%

40%

23%

32%

39%

26%

16%

36%

28%

15%

44%

Allvoters

Demo-crats

Inde-pendents

Repub-licans

To get our countrys financial situation in order, on which

one or two of these areas should we concentrate?


7/13Voters on Budget Deficit & National Debt February 2009 Hart/Public Opinion Strategies for7

Voters Split On What It Will TakeTo Solve Budget Problems Some people say that we can adequately

address our growing national debt andsolve our budget problems by cuttingwaste, fraud, and abuse in governmentspending and cutting spending on thewar in Iraq without also making majorchanges to government programs or

our tax policies.

Other people say that in order toadequately address our budget problemsand growing national debt we have tomake major structural changes tolarge entitlement programs such asSocial Security, Medicare, and Medicaid

in combination with major changes toour federal tax system and othergovernment spending, and that justcutting waste, fraud, and abuse ingovernment spending and cuttingspending on the war in Iraq is notenough.

44%45%

58%

37%

44%41%

27%

57%

Allvoters

Demo-crats

Inde-pendents

Repub-licans



Medicaid Proposals

Cap Medicaid payments to physicians, hospitals,and other health care providers so that they canincrease only at the rate of growth in the overall

economy. This would have a major impact on getting

our country's budget situation in order.Limit the number of people who are eligible forMedicaid by focusing on people at or near the povertylevel, especially for long-term health care coverage.

This would have at least a moderate impact on getting

our country's budget situation in order.

Lower the federal share of Medicaid payments tostates and turn over primary responsibility for payingfor health care of low-income adults and children to the

states to encourage them to be more cost conscious.

This would have at least a moderate impact on getting

our country's budget situation in order.

StronglySupport

37%

27%

22%

SomewhatSupport

33%

37%

41%

Oppose

24%

(11% strong)

32%

(14% strong)

31%(14% strong)



Medicare Proposals

Cap Medicare payments to physicians, hospitals,and other health care providers so that they canincrease only at the rate of growth in the overalleconomy. This would have a major impact on gettingour country's budget situation in order.

Reform Medicare so that it is more need-based,providing larger subsidies for low-income seniors, andsmaller subsidies for seniors who make above acertain income level. This would have at least amoderate impact on getting our country's budgetsituation in order.

Increase the Medicare payroll taxes paid by both

employers and employees. This would have at least amoderate impact on getting our country's budgetsituation in order.

Gradually increase the eligibility age for Medicarefrom 65 to 70 & tie future age increases to life expec-tancy estimates. This would have at least a moderateimpact on getting country's budget situation in order.

StronglySupport

44%

38%

17%

15%

SomewhatSupport

29%

36%

35%

26%

Oppose

24%(14% strong)

24%(14% strong)

46%

(29% strong)

57%(40% strong)



Social Security Proposals

Provide all future Social Security beneficiaries with auniform benefit level that is designed to ensure that theywill not live in poverty during retirement years. This wouldhave a moderate impact on getting our country's budgetsituation in order.

Makeincome up to $125,000 subject to Social Securitytaxes. This would have a moderate impact on getting ourcountry's budget situation in order.

Phase in an increase in the normal retirement age to70 over the next two decades and tie future increases inthe retirement age to life expectancy estimates. Thiswould have at least a moderate impact on getting ourcountry's budget situation in order.

Significantly increase the Social Security payroll taxespaid by both employers and employees. This would havea moderate to major impact on getting our country'sbudget situation in order.

Decrease annual Social Security cost of livingadjustments by a small amount. This would have amoderate impact on getting country's budget in order.

StronglySupport

38%

36%

20%

16%

11%

SomewhatSupport

34%

29%

28%

34%

27%

Oppose

23%(11% strong)

27%(16% strong)

48%(32% strong)

46%(31% strong)

59%(35% strong)



Revenue Proposals

Enact a new national sales tax of 23% on certainconsumer goods, which would replace current federal

income and payroll taxes. This would have at least a

moderate impact on getting our country's budget

situation in order.

Cap the amount of tax deductions homeownerscan receive from the home mortgage interestdeduction. This would have a moderate impact on

getting our country's budget situation in order.

Limit the amount of employer-paid health care

coverage that employees can receive tax-free andrequire that they pay taxes on any coverage they

receive above that amount. This would have a

moderate impact on getting our country's budget

situation in order.

StronglySupport

22%

13%

10%

SomewhatSupport

20%

32%

24%

Oppose

51%(34% strong)

47%(30% strong)

61%

(40% strong)



Strong Support For BipartisanCommission

Preferred Approach to Address Our Federal Budget Problems

Bipartisan commission of Members of Congress from both political parties and seniorofficials from Obama administration develop package of reforms to address nationaldebt and budget problems; unlike current legislative process, Congress would haveto vote on entire package, with limited or no opportunity to make changes.

14%

30%

56%

Regular process Congress uses to consider legislative proposals

Neither/not sure

By two to one, voters also prefer a

bipartisan commission of Members of

Congress from both parties, Obama

administration officials, and nonpoliticaleconomic experts.


13/13

Voters Attitudes

Toward The BudgetDeficit & National Debt

Key findings from nationwide survey conducted February 2009for

HARTRESEARCH

I

Documents

Voters' Attitudes Toward The Budget Deficit & National Debt