American public opinion on the federal budget deficit from an AP-Ipsos poll conducted July 5-7 among 1,000 adults (sampling error plus or minus 3 percentage points):
1. How much do you worry about the size of the federal budget deficit?
-A lot, 32 percent
-Some, 38 percent
-Not much, 18 percent
-Not at all, 11 percent
-Not sure, 1 percent
TOTAL - A LOT/SOME: 70 percent
TOTAL - NOT MUCH/NOT AT ALL: 29 percent
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People between the ages of 18-29 were least likely to be worried about the deficit and levels of concerns tended to increase with age. Those with a college education were more worried than those with some college or a high school education or less. People who make more than $75,000 a year were more likely than those who make $50,000 to worry about the deficit.
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2. If you had to choose, which one of the following four plans would you prefer to balance the federal budget?
-Cut government spending, even if that means cuts in government services, 35 percent
-Cut taxes to strengthen the economy and erase the deficit, 25 percent
-Raise taxes, while maintaining government services at their current levels, 18 percent
-Do nothing, and wait for the economy to strengthen and erase the deficit, 8 percent
-Raise taxes and cut spending, 1 percent
-Other (Volunteered), 7 percent
-None (Volunteered), 4 percent
-Not sure, 2 percent
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Women, minorities, Northeasterners and those with a high school education or less were more likely to prefer cutting taxes to strengthen the economy. Northeasterners were more likely than people in other regions to prefer doing nothing and waiting for the economy to strengthen. People who live in cities were twice as likely as those in rural areas to prefer raising taxes while keeping services at current levels. Democrats and independents were more likely than Republicans to prefer raising taxes while keeping services current.
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