Private College Student Loan

Poll results: reducing the deficit/debt. Your thoughts?

The entire debt debate has raised this question: What do you do to reduce the nation's deficit? Republicans want to strictly cut government spending, while preserving all tax cuts and tax breaks. President Obama, by contrast, favors a balanced approach -- some spending cuts, plus revenue increases and tax hikes. But what about the American public? Back in February, at the very outset of this deficit/debt debate, our NBC/WSJ poll measured 26 different ways to reduce the deficit or to cut spending. The list runs from most acceptable to least acceptable. -- Placing a surtax on federal income taxes for people earning over $1 million a year: 81% acceptable -- Eliminating spending on so-called earmarks for special projects and specific areas of the country: 78% acceptable -- Eliminating funding for weapons systems the Defense Department says are not necessary: 76% acceptable -- Eliminating tax credits for the oil and gas industries: 74% acceptable -- Phasing out the Bush tax cuts for families earning $250,000 or more per year: 68% acceptable -- Freezing annual domestic spending at its current level for the next five years: 67% acceptable -- Reducing Medicare and Social Security benefits for wealthier retirees: 62% acceptable -- Gradually raising the Social Security retirement age to 69 by 2075: 56% acceptable -- Cutting funding for the new health-care law so that parts of it will not be put into effect or enforced: 51% acceptable -- Reducing agriculture subsidies or support to farmers and ranchers: 45% acceptable -- Eliminating funding to Planned Parenthood for family planning and preventive health services: 45% acceptable -- Gradually turning Medicare from a system in which the government pays for most beneficiaries' medical bills into a program in which seniors would receive government-assisted vouchers to purchase private insurance: 44% acceptable Among the budget cuts: Subsidies to build new nuclear power plants: 57% acceptable Federal assistance to state governments: 52% acceptable The Environmental Protection Agency: 51% Transportation and infrastructure projects: 51% Scientific and medical research: 48% National defense: 46% Unemployment insurance: 43% Head Start: 41% College student loans: 39% Heating assistance to low-income families: 34% Medicaid: 32% Medicare: 23% K-12 education: 22% Social Security: 22% .

Public Comments

1. The numbers don't lie!
2. Subsidies to build new nuclear power plants: 57% acceptable This is before japan
3. It will take a balanced approach to get the job done any thing else fall far short.
4. That's an excellent remainder that most Americans are not rich. Since the Republicans represent the selfish rich rather than average Americans, they are the most vocal about trying to prevent the most acceptable tax solutions.
5. I'm sure people going through a list of 26 things gave the survey about as much thought as I gave this question.
6. First of all ABOLISH the Federal Reserve & arrest, prosecute the crooks who have been running it. End ALL Foreign Aid! Return tax rates to what they where in the 1950's .. the super rich paid their fair share. Bring ALL of our troops home from foreign bases & misguided adventures.
7. And yet for some strange reason these numbers contrast just about everyone else that favor SPENDING CUTS