Poll Watch: CNN/ORC Survey on Deficit Reduction

CNN/ORC Survey on Deficit Reduction

Which of these statements comes closest to your view:

• Taxes on wealthy people should be kept low because they invest their money in the private sector and that helps the economy and creates jobs 34%
• Taxes on wealthy people should be kept high so the government can use their money for programs to help lower-income people 62%

Among Democrats

• Taxes on wealthy people should be kept low because they invest their money in the private sector and that helps the economy and creates jobs 13%
• Taxes on wealthy people should be kept high so the government can use their money for programs to help lower-income people 84%

Among Republicans

• Taxes on wealthy people should be kept low because they invest their money in the private sector and that helps the economy and creates jobs 61%
• Taxes on wealthy people should be kept high so the government can use their money for programs to help lower-income people 33%

As you may know, that bill created a bipartisan congressional committee that is expected to produce a proposal to significantly reduce the federal budget deficit.  Please tell me whether you think each of the following should or should not be included in that deficit reduction proposal:

Increases in taxes on businesses and higher-income Americans

• Should 63%
• Should not 36%

Among Democrats

• Should 80%
• Should not 19%

Among Republicans

• Should 39%
• Should not 60%

Increases in taxes on middle class and lower-income Americans

• Should 12%
• Should not 87%

Major cuts in spending on domestic government programs

• Should 57%
• Should not 40%

Among Democrats

• Should 39%
• Should not 58%

Among Republicans

• Should 77%
• Should not 18%

Major cuts in military spending

• Should 47%
• Should not 53%

Among Democrats

• Should 60%
• Should not 40%

Among Republicans

• Should 22%
• Should not 78%

Major changes to the Social Security and Medicare systems

• Should 35%
• Should not 64%

Among Democrats

• Should 28%
• Should not 71%

Among Republicans

• Should 42%
• Should not 57%

Survey of 1,008 adults, including 930 registered voters, was conducted August 5-7, 2011. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points.

Gallup: U.S. Military Personnel, Veterans Give Obama Lower Marks

Gallup: U.S. Military Personnel, Veterans Give Obama Lower Marks

Survey Methods

Results are based on telephone interviews conducted as part of Gallup Daily tracking January 2010 through April 2011, with a random sample of 238,673 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. 

For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±1 percentage point. The maximum margin of sampling error will be larger for subgroups of veterans and active-duty military.