Poll Finds Wariness About Cutting Entitlements

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

As President Obama and Congress brace to battle over how to reduce chronic annual budget deficits, Americans overwhelmingly say that in general they prefer cutting government spending to paying higher taxes, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

Yet their preference for spending cuts, even in programs that benefit them, dissolves when they are presented with specific options related to Medicare and Social Security, the programs that directly touch the most people and also are the biggest drivers of the government’s projected long-term debt.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans choose higher payroll taxes for Medicare and Social Security over reduced benefits in either program. And asked to choose among cuts to Medicare, Social Security and the nation’s third largest spending program — the military — a majority by a large margin said cut the Pentagon instead.

While Americans are near-unanimous in calling deficits a problem — a “very serious” problem, say seven out of 10 — a majority believes it should not be necessary for them to pay higher taxes to bridge the shortfall between what the government spends and what it takes in.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/us/politics/21poll.html

[PSPS]

1. "the biggest drivers of the government’s projected long-term debt"

Yet their preference for spending cuts, even in programs that benefit them, dissolves when they are presented with specific options related to Medicare and Social Security, the programs that directly touch the most people and also are the biggest drivers of the government’s projected long-term debt.

There's lie #1: Social Security has never contributed anything to the national debt. It has almost $3 trillion in surplus today. But Obama's nefarious "tax holiday" scheme will, for the first time ever, change this, paving the way for its eventual dismantling.

While Americans are near-unanimous in calling deficits a problem — a “very serious” problem, say seven out of 10 — a majority believes it should not be necessary for them to pay higher taxes to bridge the shortfall between what the government spends and what it takes in.

The NYT should just cut to the chase here. The top richest 2% are getting a free ride ever since saint reagan cut their income tax by two thirds. How can you replace that revenue by adding more taxes to the struggling "other 98%?" "The majority" (98%) wouldn't *have* to pay more taxes if the richest 2% were paying their fair share.

[Festivito]

2. Sownds lik dohs N-tile meants fur meeee. Noah cut'n den. /nt

[defendandprotect]

3. Why aren't they just calling Seniors "Welfare Queens" ...!!??

[snot]

4. K&R'd

[Lugnut]

5. Entitlements, my ear.

I paid FICA taxes into a disability insurance program and that's what I'm getting.

[cutlassmama]

6. Which means you're entitled to get them.