2010-12-08-皮尤-Deficit_Solutions_Meet_With_Public_Skepticism_20页_179kb

Summary of Public Opinion on Deficit Reduction

Pew Research Center's December 1-5, 2010 survey reveals widespread public agreement on the need to address the federal budget deficit but strong skepticism toward specific reduction proposals. Key findings:

• Overall Sentiment: Seven-in-ten Americans view the deficit as a major problem requiring immediate attention, with broad bipartisan consensus that reducing it requires both spending cuts and tax increases.
• Public Resistance to Proposals: Most deficit reduction plans tested (77%) meet significant public disapproval. The two most supported ideas were raising the Social Security payroll tax cap (64% approval) and freezing federal worker salaries (59%).
• Partisan Differences: Democrats show strongest support for tax increases and entitlement reforms; Republicans are divided but favor military-focused cuts and tax reductions.
• Generational Gap: Younger Americans (under 40) are less supportive of measures affecting homeowners (mortgage interest deduction) while more open to a national sales tax.
• Tea Party Alignment: Tea Party supporters ("Principles over Practice") prefer spending cuts over tax increases, oppose reductions to federal funding for state services by a 2-to-1 margin, and resist proposed tax hikes on employer-provided health benefits more than general public.
• Optimism Levels: Just 37% expect significant deficit reduction progress in the next five years, dipping to 29% among Tea Party supporters despite ongoing debates and established deficit reduction commissions.

The study documents notable resistance even to proposed comprehensive solutions, with public confidence in deficit reduction leadership reflected in its skepticism across multiple policymakers.