… Why do we hate deficits? “Balancing the budget” sounds really nice, but what reason do we have to believe it’s actually valuable? There are a number of reasons to think it might be good for the debt load to be smaller rather than larger, but almost all of them […] Read more »
Americans Favor Congress Giving Back 5% to 25% of Pay
Most Americans favor members of Congress voluntarily returning some portion of their salary as a result of the impact of the sequestration budget cuts, which went into effect March 1. In response to two suggested giveback amounts, 78% of Americans favor Congress members returning 5% of their pay, and 79% […] Read more »
The end of majority rule?
… Universal background checks are supported by 91 percent of Americans. Yet there is enormous resistance in Congress to passing a strong bill to keep arms out of the wrong hands. … Or consider the Morning Joe/Marist poll last week showing 64 percent of Americans saying that job creation should […] Read more »
Public still anxious over economy, has little faith in Washington
President Barack Obama’s job approval rating is a so-so 50 percent, as Americans continue to have serious concerns about whether the country is headed in the right direction, according to a new McClatchy-Marist poll. People want a speedier, more robust economic recovery, and they’re sick of the bickering that’s characterized […] Read more »
80% of Americans unhappy with Washington
Amid the debate over the federal budget and the failure to come to an agreement to avoid the sequester, eight in 10 Americans are unhappy with how things are going in Washington, including 30 percent who are angry, up nine points since December and the highest level of anger recorded […] Read more »
Gov’t Budget, Healthcare Join Economy as Top Concerns
Americans’ prime worries when it comes to the nation’s problems today are the economy, followed by federal spending/the deficit, healthcare, and gas prices. Majorities of Americans report worrying “a great deal” about each of these, ranging from 68% for the economy to 55% for gas prices. Additionally, 50% worry a […] Read more »