As President Barack Obama negotiates with Republicans in Congress over federal entitlement spending, a new national survey by the Pew Research Center finds that a majority of Americans (55%) have received government benefits from at least one of the six best-known federal entitlement programs. [cont.] Pew Read more »
More Than Six in 10 Paying Attention to Fiscal Cliff
Americans’ level of interest in the news surrounding the fiscal cliff negotiations remains about the same as it has been since the beginning of the month, despite continuing news coverage of the pending tax increases and spending cuts that would take place on Jan. 1 if no agreement is reached […] Read more »
Obama Wins Almost 50% Republicans on Tax Mandate in Poll
President Barack Obama won the public argument over taxes so decisively that almost half of Republicans now say he has an election mandate to raise rates on the rich. Majorities of about 2-to-1 also read the election results as an endorsement of Obama’s pledge to protect Social Security and Medicare […] Read more »
Americans See Fiscal Cliff as Harmful to U.S., Own Finances
At least six in 10 Americans believe key elements of the looming “fiscal cliff” would have a negative impact on the United States as a whole. … In addition to its potential negative impact on the country, 64% of Americans believe the fiscal cliff measures would harm their own personal […] Read more »
Entitlement Cuts Feared Most in ‘Cliff’ Talks
As President Obama and congressional leaders race to avert the fiscal cliff, Americans remain concerned that whatever budget deal they strike will cut too much from Medicare and Social Security, according to a new poll. More of the Americans surveyed (35 percent) are worried about such cutbacks than seeing their […] Read more »
Contempt for Congress Rampant as Public Rejects Sacrifice
The U.S. public is critical of both Republicans and Democrats in Congress for failing to resolve such issues as the national debt while rejecting the sacrifices that may be needed to fix it. According to a Bloomberg National Poll, Republicans in Congress have an unfavorable rating of 51 percent, and […] Read more »