MEMORANDUM: National survey on government shutdown and budget
MEMORANDUM
DATE: APRIL 4, 2011
TO: PUBLIC NOTICE
FROM: THE TARRANCE GROUP
RE: NATIONAL SURVEY ON GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND BUDGET
The Tarrance Group is pleased to present Public Notice with the key findings from a survey of N=800 registered “likely” voters across the country. Interviews were conducted March 29-31, 2011. In 95 out of 100 cases, the margin of error on a sample of this type is +/- 3.5%.
KEY FINDINGS
Federal Spending
- If there is a government shutdown, no party receives a majority of the blame. While 38% would blame the Republicans in Congress for a shutdown, a similar percentage (41%) would blame either the Democrats in Congress (23%) or President Barack Obama (18%). This is similar to February, when 37% said they would blame the GOP in Congress, 20% would blame the Democrats in Congress, and 22% would blame Obama.
- Voters have turned the corner and have made clear their support for deep cuts to the budget. Nearly three quarters of voters (73%) say it is very important that the budget include “significant” spending cuts. When it comes to $100 billion in cuts, only 23% say this percentage is too high, while a majority (63%) says $100 billion is too low (34%) or about right (29%). This is virtually unchanged from February, when 21% said $60 billion was too high, and a majority (67%) said the figure was too low (36%) or about right (31%).
- Supporting $100 billion in cuts would result in a net positive political impact for members of Congress. A majority (55%) are more likely to support their member of Congress if he or she supports these cuts, while only 24% are less likely. This is also similar to February, when 52% were more likely to re-elect their member if he or she supports $61 billion in cuts.
- Eight in ten (81%) voters say it is very important that Congress pass a budget this year.
- A strong majority (80%) of voters are very concerned about the level of federal debt. Specifically in regards to the debt, more Americans are concerned that “we are indebted to other countries like China” (51%) than the fact that “more of our budget goes to paying interest on the debt instead of using it for our country’s immediate needs” (39%).
- Voters are unaware that there have been cuts in spending for the measures passed by Congress so far this year. As a plurality, voters (46%) say Congress has increased spending so far, while only 32% say they have cut spending.
Taxes
- There is widespread discontent with the federal tax code. Two thirds (65%) of voters say the Federal tax code needs “major” changes. Only 30% say the tax code needs modest changes (18%) or a “minor adjustment” (12%).
- Although 47% of Americans pay no income tax, voters perceive the percentage to be much smaller. A majority (53%) say the percentage paying no income tax is 40% or less, with 42% of those saying the percentage paying no income tax is 30% or less.
Debt Ceiling
- When presented with three arguments about raising the debt ceiling, less than a quarter of voters most agree with the argument that the debt ceiling needs to be raised in order to avoid things like a shutdown and Social Security checks not being mailed. In fact, a plurality chooses to NOT raise the debt ceiling at all:
30%: Some people say that Congress should only raise the debt ceiling if it can also guarantee real, significant spending cuts starting this year. We will never balance the budget until we drastically cut the amount of money we spend.
22%: Other people say that Congress must act to raise the debt ceiling regardless of whether it includes spending cuts, or else the United States government will shut down and will default on its obligations, such as not being able to make Social Security checks and salaries for police and teachers.
42%: Still other people say that we should NOT raise the debt ceiling even if spending cuts are made because the nation must eliminate the trillion dollar debt we face instead of adding to it.
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Public Notice is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit, 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to providing the facts and insights on the effects public policy has on Americans’ financial well being.
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It’s all politics & greed. They(congress) want to cut benefits for important programs for Seniors & children, just to mention two things. We need to get completely out of Iraq & Afghanistan. They are still growing their poppies!!!!!!!!! Petraeous needs to retire. Boehner is worthless. Right now it is the blind leading the blind. God help the USA.
Yea!!!! you hit the nail on the head. We the PEOPLE need to cleane house and remove these worthless lifers and pup real people ( not lawyers) in charge!!!!
This congress is starting to look like the old one. Republican’s started out with a paltry $61B vs $14.3T budget cuts and now it’s looking like $40B. The “get me elected and I’ll continue doing what I want” program is STILL in place. Reshuffle the deck again in 2012 and keep reshuffling it until you get politicians with some backbone.
I think ALL of the politicians on Capitol Hill need to re-connect with REAL American people!! A large portion of our elected officials are wealthy people that do not have the concerns of the ordinary Americans that voted for them and sent them to office. They don’t have to worry about where the money for their mortgage payment or their rent is coming from, how they’re going to feed their families, or if their employer is going to lay them off tomorrow because they can no longer afford to pay the high taxes imposed on private sector business and industry. Our politicians live in a rarified world of money, power, and privilage that most people never know, and they have conveniently forgotten their own humble origins when they had to work for a living and handle their money sensibly. If they REALLY want to get our country back on the right track and return America to her deserved position of the most powerful nation in the world, they need to stop the foolish bickering, stop parsing and spinning every sound and syllable, and stop the “Great Society” experiments that have been partly responsible for the mess we are in. A nation as intelligent and innovative as The United States of America should NOT have a 10% unemployment rate. That is just inexcusable. Our national debt is also inexcusable, and it MUST be brought back under control, or our validity as a nation of worth and our national security will be at stake. DRASTIC reform of ALL of our bloated and blatantly abused entitlement programs, DRASTIC reform of the unwieldy, self-defeating, and useless tax code that punishes innovation and success, and DRASTIC reform of our politicians’ attitudes would TRULY help our great nation get back on her feet.
How DARE our elected officials sit there and essentially “Fiddle While Rome Burns”! This is out COUNTRY, you FOOLS! Stop playing with us, and DO YOUR JOB!
If they let the debt ceiling stay where it is, we will get an immediate balanced budget. They will have to spend only what they have. It won’t be the end of the world that they make it out to be. Congress and the President will have to prioritize and spend what they have. The debt will gradually go down as we pay down current and don’t put on more. It could be the best thing for us!