Posted on 01/02/2013 9:35:41 AM PST by SeekAndFind
If this Rasmussen poll reflected reality, our politics would be entirely rearranged.
62% Favor Across-the-Board Spending Cuts, But 57% Think They’re Unlikely
That's the headline. Here's some of the write-up.
Even as official Washington signs off on a “fiscal cliff” deal with $1 in spending cuts to every $41 in new taxes, most voters continue to favor across-the-board spending cuts but doubt they are likely to happen. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 39% of Likely U.S. Voters think it is even somewhat likely that government spending will be significantly reduced over the next few years. Fifty-seven percent (57%) see significant spending cuts as unlikely. This includes 11% who believe such cuts are Very Likely in the near future and 20% who say they are Not At All Likely.
Put me in the 20%, because a large number, maybe a majority, of the 62% in the headline are lying.
If 62% really favored spending cuts, we would not have the miserable class of politicians that we have in Washington. Surely some in that 62% live in Sander Levin’s and Nancy Pelosi’s districts. Surely some of them even live in Charlie Rangel’s district.
Let’s ask that 62% if they favor cutting from some program that they like. Or some program that they depend on. Oh, they’ll say yes to sound responsible, but most of them will keep voting for the pol who brings home the pork. Look at the fight over Sandy storm relief. The Democrat Senate larded it up with billions in irrelevant pork. The House is trying to trim that nonsense out. Guess who will get blamed for any delays. Not the bunch that created a poisonous and irresponsible bill, but the people who are trying to clean it up. Rep. Peter King, I’m looking at you.
We’ll see what happens in the next big fiscal fight. Boehner is framing it as a fight over spending cuts now that taxes have been dealt with. The Obama Democrats will frame the last fight as a “first step” and will demand more taxes, while trying to take the debt ceiling off the table. A reasonable response to that would be, if you don’t want to run into the debt ceiling, stop spending so much. That response would poll well. But it won’t drive policy.
Americans are a funny lot. They think all Congressmen should be voted out, except theirs. They think the feds should cut spending, except money that’s spent on them.
We’ll never gain control of our spending voluntarily. We’ll be forced to. Exactly what “forced” means, we’ll have to wait and see.
Amen to that. Even the most conservative politicians run on what they bring home to their constituents.
“Most people want security in this world, not liberty.” ~ H.L. Mencken
Do nothing and the Fed will have to cut 20% from each Federal agency or department... 20% across the board. This is the only way to get any spending cuts.
LLS
I favor massive cuts to spending. I’ll start with a 20% cut to the SS I’m already receiving that I paid into over nearly fifty years. Follow that with a reduction by fifty percent in military spending (not pensions or medical care for vets)and announce to the world that we can’t be the cop any more and will respond to direct threats to our safety with nukes.
Cut welfare, eliminate the departments of education and energy, end all aid to (and control of) local schools. End federal support of the NEA, NPR and PBS. require all SS disability recipients to requalify immediately ANC requalify every two years. End SSI for children and all non-citizens.
I’m just getting started.
Cut the military? Say it ain’t so!
I favor massive cuts to spending. I’ll start with a 20% cut to the SS I’m already receiving that I paid into over nearly fifty years. Follow that with a reduction by fifty percent in military spending (not pensions or medical care for vets)and announce to the world that we can’t be the cop any more and will respond to direct threats to our safety with nukes.
Cut welfare, eliminate the departments of education and energy, end all aid to (and control of) local schools. End federal support of the NEA, NPR and PBS. require all SS disability recipients to requalify immediately ANC requalify every two years. End SSI for children and all non-citizens.
I’m just getting started.
ANC should be “and”
I think if we make it plain that the only country ever to use a nuke or two is ready to do it again if need be, we won’t need a standing expeditionary force to go be cops. If the muslim scum gets annoying, we can turn mecca into radioactive glass. Tell them once; no second chances.
Exactly the right attitude. I will take any cut to any program, the bigger the better. No sacred cows.
RE: Cut the military? Say it ain’t so!
I’ve spoken to a lot of military folks over the years (yes, even ex-Marines who have been at the fore front of battles ). The WASTEFUL SPENDING on the Department of Defense is HUMONGOUS.
So yes, WE CAN CUT SPENDING EVEN IN THE MILITARY WITHOUT UNDERMINING OUR ABILITY TO FIGHT.
62% want OTHER people’s benefits and programs cut. If it affects them personally, 98% of Americans suddenly don’t care about their country’s future.
We can cut most of our forces in the Europe and Asia. Let them pay for their own defense. In the Middle East, let Israel TCB, or we can turn the islamists into glass with a couple of cheap nukes, or bomb them back into the stone age with cheap conventional lead. This part of defense is welfare for the rest of the world.
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