NBC/Wall Street Journal
Even as lawmakers from both parties — even the White House — make not-so-subtle indications that deep cuts and “reforms” to programs like Social Security and Medicare are on the table, voters are letting it be known that they are decidedly opposed to the idea.
A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll finds that overwhelming majorities of Americans call “significant” cuts to Social Security, Medicare and government spending on education are “unacceptable” ways to deal with the federal budget deficit. Nearly 80 percent of the respondents offered a vehement thumbs-down to each of these proposals that have been broached with varying levels of enthusiasm by Republicans and Democrats alike. Only a small percentage of Americans believe that any cuts to the two main government safety nets are even necessary.
But the most trouble could be ahead for the Republican Party as new “Tea Party” members of Congress as well as prominent conservatives considering a 2012 presidential bid have publicly backed “entitlement reform” that would entail massive cuts and drastic structural changes — including abolishing Medicare and privatizing Social Security — that Americans continue to abhor.
Less than a quarter of Americans support making significant cuts to Social Security or Medicare to tackle the country’s mounting deficit, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, illustrating the challenge facing lawmakers who want voter buy-in to alter entitlement programs.
In the poll, Americans across all age groups and ideologies said by large margins that it was “unacceptable” to make significant cuts in entitlement programs in order to reduce the federal deficit. Even tea party supporters, by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, declared significant cuts to Social Security “unacceptable.”
…………………………………………
The poll comes as Republican lawmakers, many elected on promises to slash federal spending, have focused mostly so far on cuts to non-defense, discretionary programs. But many political leaders say meaningful deficit reduction cannot be accomplished without making changes to entitlement programs.
A small group of senators in both parties has begun discussions that include changes to entitlement programs, as well as to the tax code. House Republicans say they will address entitlements in their next budget. And several likely 2012 GOP candidates have vowed to to shore up the finances of Social Security and Medicare as part of their campaigns.
But Republican Bill McInturff and Democrat Peter Hart, the pollsters who conducted the survey, said the poll raises warning signs for anyone proposing cuts to the three main entitlement programs, including Medicaid, that provide health and retirement benefits to seniors and the poor. The programs, which already make up 41% of federal spending, are expected to balloon in coming years.
Mr. McInturff called the poll “a huge flashing yellow sign for Republicans on how much preparation will be needed if they propose to change Social Security and Medicare.”
Asked directly if they thought cuts to Medicare were necessary to “significantly reduce” the deficit, 18% of respondents said yes, while 54% said no; the rest were not sure or had no opinion. On Social Security, 22% said cuts would be needed, while 49% said they weren’t.
Even as Americans oppose cuts to popular programs, they continue to believe the deficit should be a “priority” for the president and Congress. To reduce the deficit, Americans are increasingly supportive of tax hikes on corporations and the wealthy, as well as eliminating billions of dollars in subsidies for energy companies, subsidies just approved again by House Republicans (74 percent of poll respondents said cutting government subsidies for the oil and gas industry was “acceptable”).
Also included in the poll was data that showed 60 percent of Americans are opposed to efforts to strip public employees of collective bargaining rights, such as the plan that has led to protests in Wisconsin and has been picked up by Republican governors and legislators in numerous states.
Then how were all these knuckleheads voted into office last year? Did the American public not understand what they were getting themselves into? Were they so angry with government in general that they wanted fresh faces no matter who they were or what they stood for?
the great American con job on voters to destroy the middle class ,and the basic way of life in this country.