As you may know, as part of the agreement to raise the debt ceiling, Congress will appoint a special committee to look at ways to further reduce federal spending and the national debt. If that committee does not reach an agreement, the law would impose major cuts in most federal spending including Medicare and defense. What would you like the members of this committee who represent your views on spending and the debt to do? Should they -- [ROTATED: hold out for a plan you would agree with, even if it prevents the committee from reaching an agreement, (or should they) agree to a compromise plan, even if it is a plan you would disagree with]?
Hold out for plan
Agree to compromise
No opinion
%
%
%
2011 Aug 4-7
35
60
5
Gallup
Next, I'd like to ask you about the agreement reached by the president and Congress to raise the federal debt ceiling. Based on what you know or have read about this agreement, do you approve or disapprove of it?
Approve
Disapprove
No opinion
%
%
%
2011 Aug 2
39
46
15
Gallup
Based on what you know or have read about the agreement, do you view it as a step forward, a step backward or neither in terms of addressing the federal debt situation?
Step forward
Step backward
Neither
No opinion
%
%
%
%
2011 Aug 2
20
22
50
8
Gallup
What effect do you think the agreement will have on the U.S. economy -- will it -- [ROTATED: make the economy better, not have much effect (or will it) make the economy worse]?
Better
Not much effect
Worse
No opinion
%
%
%
%
2011 Aug 2
17
33
41
9
Gallup
Which concerns you more -- [ROTATED: the government would not raise the debt ceiling and a major economic crisis would result (or) the government would raise the debt ceiling but without plans for major cuts in future spending]?
Not raise/major economic crisis
Raise/no plan for cuts
No opinion
%
%
%
2011 Jul 15-17
35
55
10
2011 Jul 7-10
32
51
17
Gallup
From what you know or have read about the discussion of raising the debt ceiling, would you want your member of Congress to -- [ROTATED: vote in favor of raising the debt ceiling, vote against raising the debt ceiling] -- or don't you know enough to say?
Vote for
Vote against
No opinion
%
%
%
2011 Jul 7-10
22
42
35
2011 May 5-8
19
47
34
Gallup
What are some of the reasons why you would want your member of Congress to vote in favor of raising the debt ceiling? [OPEN-ENDED]
Based on those who want their representative to vote to raise the debt limit
2011 Jul 7-10
%
To avoid economic catastrophe
32
To not default on debt
23
Necessary/No choice
17
To avoid government shutdown/suspension of services/benefits
16
Would have negative effect on U.S. standing in world
7
To avoid credit downgrade of U.S.
6
Other
7
No reason in particular
5
No opinion
1
Percentages total more than 100% due to multiple responses
Gallup
What are some of the reasons why you would want your member of Congress to vote against raising the debt ceiling? [OPEN-ENDED]
Based on those who want their representative to vote against raising the debt limit
2011 Jul 7-10
%
Already have too much debt/Cannot afford more
38
Need to stop spending /Cut spending
21
Does not address problem/Would keep raising limit in future
17
U.S. needs to live within its means/Budget better
13
Would lead to tax increases/Taxes are already too high
6
U.S. should pay off debt it already owes
4
Harmful to future generations
3
Cut government jobs/reduce salaries first
2
Stop giving money/aid to other countries
2
Being in debt to other countries not good for U.S.
1
US is broke/bankrupt
1
Other
3
No reason in particular
4
No opinion
1
Percentages total more than 100% due to multiple responses
Gallup
Which do you think is more to blame for the federal budget deficit -- [ROTATED: spending too much money on federal programs that are either not needed or wasteful, (or) not raising enough money in taxes to pay for needed federal programs]?
Spending too much
Not raising enough taxes
No opinion
%
%
%
2011 Apr 20-23
73
22
5
Gallup
How long do you think it will be until the costs of the Medicare and Social Security programs create a crisis for the federal government -- are they already creating a crisis, will they create a crisis within the next 10 years, within 10 to 20 years, in more than 20 years or not for the foreseeable future?
Already creating crisis
Within 10 years
Within 10-20 years
More than 20 years
Not for foreseeable future
No opinion
%
%
%
%
%
%
2011 Apr
34
33
19
4
7
2
Gallup
Do you think the government should completely overhaul Medicare to control the cost of the program, make major changes to Medicare but not completely overhaul it, make minor changes to Medicare, or should the government not try to control the costs of Medicare?
Completely overhaul
Make major changes
Make minor changes
Not try to control costs
No opinion
%
%
%
%
%
2011 Apr 11
13
18
34
27
8
Gallup
On a different subject, who do you think is doing the better job in the current efforts to agree on a new federal budget -- [ROTATED: Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress (or) The Republicans in Congress]?
Obama/Democrats
Republicans in Congress
Both equally (vol.)
No opinion
%
%
%
%
2011 Apr 5
41
34
5
20
2011 Feb 22
39
42
3
16
(vol.)=volunteered response
Gallup
Do you think the budget proposals being made by -- [RANDOM ORDER] -- [ROTATED: go too far in cutting federal spending, are about right (or) do not go far enough in cutting federal spending]?
Go too far
About right
Do not go far enough
No opinion
%
%
%
%
Barack Obama/Democrats in Congress
2011 Apr 5
15
26
45
14
2011 Feb 22
13
29
48
10
Republicans in Congress
2011 Apr 5
32
22
30
15
2011 Feb 22
25
25
37
13
Gallup
Next, please say whether you favor or oppose cutting government spending in each of the following areas. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?
Favor
Oppose
No opinion
%
%
%
Foreign aid
59
37
4
Funding for the arts and sciences
46
52
2
Aid to farmers
44
53
3
Homeland security
42
56
3
The military and national defense
42
57
1
Anti-poverty programs
39
55
6
Medicare
38
61
1
Social Security
34
64
2
Education
32
67
2
Jan. 14-16, 2011. Asked of a half sample
Gallup
As you may know, the government will be forced to raise the legal limit on the national debt soon or the United States will default on its debts and force a government shutdown. What would you like to see Congress do -- [ROTATED: vote to raise the debt limit to avoid a government shutdown even if Congress cannot agree on measures to reduce the deficit in the future, vote to raise the debt limit only if Congress can agree ahead of time on measures to reduce the deficit in the future], or don't you know enough to say?
Raise limit even if no plan for defict
Only raise limit if plan for deficit
No opinion
%
%
%
2011 Jan 14-16 ^
16
50
33
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup
Next, how important is it to you that the president and Congress deal with each of the following issues in the next year -- is it -- extremely important, very important, moderately important or not that important? How about -- the federal budget deficit?
Extremely important
Very important
Moderately important
Not that important
No opinion
%
%
%
%
%
2011 Jan 7-9
44
40
12
3
2
2007 Jan 5-7
42
34
19
3
1
2004 Dec 17-19 ^
35
42
18
3
2
2003 Jan 3-5 ^
32
36
25
5
2
2002 May 28-29 ^
25
37
28
8
2
2002 Jan 11-14
30
35
28
5
2
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup
If you had to choose, which of these do you think would be the best approach for Congress and the president to take in dealing with the U.S. economy -- [RANDOM ORDER: increasing government stimulus spending, cutting taxes, reducing the federal budget deficit and national debt, (or) increasing taxes on the wealthy]?
Reducing deficit
Increasing taxes on wealthy
Cutting taxes
Increasing stimulus spending
No opinion
%
%
%
%
%
2010 Nov 19-21
39
31
23
5
2
Gallup
In thinking about the trade-offs between spending government money to improve the economy versus adding considerable amounts of money to the federal debt, which do you think is the greater risk -- [ROTATED: spending too little to improve the economy (or) adding too much to the federal debt]?
Spending too little
Adding too much debt
No opinion
%
%
%
2009 Feb 20-22
37
59
4
Gallup
If you had to choose, which of the following would be more important to you -- [ROTATED: increasing spending on domestic issues such as education and health care (or) holding down the federal budget deficit]?
Increasing domestic spending
Holding down deficit
Both (vol.)
Neither (vol.)
No opinion
%
%
%
%
%
2006 Feb 9-12
58
33
7
1
2
2002 May 28-29
65
28
4
2
1
(vol.) = Volunteered response
Gallup
Which of these statements do you think best describes the federal budget deficit -- [ROTATED: it is a crisis, it is a major problem for the country but is not a crisis, it is a minor problem for the country (or) it is not a problem for the country at all]?
Crisis
Major problem
Minor problem
Not a problem
No opinion
%
%
%
%
%
2003 Jul 18-20
20
57
18
3
2
(vol.) = Volunteered response
Gallup
Thinking about the trade-offs the government must make when creating a federal budget, would you rather see the government give a higher priority to -- [ROTATED: reducing the federal budget deficit (or) cutting federal income taxes]?
Reducing deficit
Cutting taxes
Both equally (vol.)
No opinion
%
%
%
%
2003 Jan 13-16
48
42
5
5
(vol.) = Volunteered response
Gallup
In your opinion, is the current federal budget deficit a very serious problem for the country, a fairly serious problem, not a serious problem or is this something you haven't thought much about?
Very serious
Fairly serious
Not serious
No opinion
%
%
%
%
1998 Jan 6-7
40
34
7
19
1989 Jan 24-26
63
20
3
14
1985 Nov 11-18
61
23
3
13
1985 Aug 13-15
57
21
2
20
1985 Apr 12-15
58
23
5
14
1984 Dec 7-10
54
29
5
12
Gallup
Do you think that tax cuts and deficit reduction can be accomplished at the same time, or do you think they cannot be accomplished at the same time?
