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Key Points Debt and Deficit 2013
Key Points Debt and Deficit 2013
PROJEC TS
T he public now is much more likely than four years ago to say that reducing the federal budget deficit should be a top priority in 2013 for President Obama and Congress. When Barack Obama took office in early 2009, reducing the budget deficit was a middletier item on the publics agenda. Only about half of Americans (53%) viewed it as a top policy priority, placing it ninth on a list of 20 policy goals. But our survey conducted Jan. 9-13 (http://www.people-press.org/2 01 3 /01 /2 4 /deficit-reduction-rises-on-publicsagenda-for-obam as-second-term /) found that, as Obama starts his second term, only the
economy and jobs are viewed as more important priorities for the coming year.
Currently, 72% say that reducing the budget deficit should be a top priority, up 19 points from four years ago. The budget deficit has increased as a priority since 2009 among Democrats, independents and especially Republicans. More than eight-in-ten (84%) Republicans say this is a top priority for 2013,
(http://www.people-press.org/2 01 3 /01 /2 4 /deficit-reduction-rises-on-publics-agenda-for-
obam as-second-term /) compared with 67% of Democrats and 71% of independents. Four
years ago, 51% of Republicans, 52% of Democrats and 57% of independents said reducing the deficit was a top priority for the year ahead. (See our interactive chart, Twelve Years of the Publics Top Priorities (http://www.people-press.org/interactives/toppriorities/) ).
T he public again put emphasis on the need to deal with the budget deficit, with 70% saying, in a February survey (ht t p://www.peoplepress.org/2013/02/21/if-no-deal-is-st ruck-four-in-t en-say -let -t he-sequest erhappen/) , that it was essential for the White House and Congress to address
it this year.
A survey conducted in March (ht t p://www.people-press.org/2013/03/21/sect ion1-obama-job-approval-confidence-on-budget -deficit /#ent it lement s-priorit y ) found
the public continued to say that maintaining entitlement benefits was a greater priority than cutting the deficit.
budget-deficit/#entitlem ents-priority )
Our February survey (ht t p://www.people-press.org/2013/02/22/as-sequest erdeadline-looms-lit t le-support -for-cut t ing-most -programs/) showed that
majorities also disapproved of many of the most-talked-about deficit reduction proposals in other areas as well.
Not surprisingly, partisans have markedly different views on many of the debt reduction ideas.
Still, most Americans see a need for a combination (www.peoplepress.org/2013/02/21/if-no-deal-is-st ruck-four-in-t en-say -let -t he-sequest erhappen/#mixofmeasures) of cutting major programs and increasing taxes to
There are partisan differences (http://www.people-press.org/2 01 3 /02 /2 0/section-1 opinions-about-m ajor-issues/) on the question of deficit-cutting strategy.
In a survey last December (ht t p://www.people-press.org/2012/12/13/sect ion-1views-of-obama-congress-t he-part ies/#most issues) , the public gave Democrats
an edge when it comes to which party can do a better job dealing with Medicare and Social Security, though the parties run nearly even on dealing with the deficit.
While there has been little change in public views on government spending in the last two years, the long-term trend (ht t p://www.peoplepress.org/2013/02/22/as-sequest er-deadline-looms-lit t le-support -for-cut t ing-most programs/) over the past quarter-century is, for the most part, away from
spending growth.
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