[ press Release ]

New Poll Shows Democrats, Republicans Unified in Willingness to Make Deep Government Budget Cuts

Highly accurate methodology shows people would slash defense, Medicare, and welfare, but spare Social Security, education

New York, NY; August 5, 2011: As the deficit reduction committee sets to work in Washington, D.C., a new survey from Knowledge Networks shows that Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike have a strong willingness to dramatically cut spending in 28 categories – and a minimal desire for tax increases.

When asked to modify the 2012 federal budget, the poll showed that the American public was willing to cut 2012 spending by more than either the Democrats or Republicans in Washington are currently proposing as part of the new debt deal. In total, the Americans surveyed proposed $700 billion in spending cuts and $64 billion in increased taxes — or about $11 cut for every $1 in new taxes; this would leave a remaining deficit of approximately $337 billion for 2012, compared to the current figure of $1.1 trillion.

The survey was designed and analyzed by Norman H. Nie and Curtiss L. Cobb¹ and conducted by Knowledge Networks on its uniquely representative KnowledgePanel®. KN asked 1,491 American adults to set personal and corporate marginal tax rates and federal spending levels across 28 categories covering most of the 2012 federal budget. Unlike earlier surveys, this one offered respondents information about the currently proposed 2012 federal budget as reference and showed a running total of what overall impact their changes would have on federal revenue and spending. Respondents were allowed to continue making changes until they were satisfied with their overall solutions and the level of surplus or deficit their changes would create.

The findings suggest that respondents from both political parties would opt for a smaller federal government rather than increased taxes. Republicans were willing to cut more from the budget — at a ratio of $33 worth of cuts for every $1 in new taxes; this compared to Democrats, who proposed $7 worth of cuts for every $1 in new taxes. These differences are insignificant, however, compared to the consistency and size of desired spending cuts.

The survey found that the American public recommended deeply cutting expenditures as follows:

1. 28% from defense-related spending – including 58% for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and 40% for international affairs and aid — saving in total approximately $247 billion
2. 18% from Medicare and other entitlement and welfare programs, saving approximately $214 billion
3. 37% from the general government, saving $11 billion.
4. 44% from NASA, saving $8 billion.

On the other hand, the public made only very modest cuts to education (5%), support for veterans (3%) or Social Security (2%).

The tax rate portion of the survey found the American public unwilling to increase taxes on individuals and families earning less than $174,000 a year. Respondents across both major political parties, as well as those who identified themselves as either liberal or conservative, increased the marginal tax rate on the income brackets between $174,400 and $379,149 from the current rate of 33 percent to 35 percent, yielding $7 billion in additional revenue.

For those earning more than $380,000 (the highest tax bracket), the public chose a 3 percentage point increase in the marginal rate, yielding another $30 billion in government revenue. At the same time, the public felt corporation marginal tax rates should go from 35 percent to 38 percent, yielding $28 billion. There was also across-the-board support for massively reducing special tax credits and subsidies by 80% to 100% to save an additional $131 billion.

A more detailed report of the results can be found at: http://www.knowledgenetworks.com/ganp/2011fedbudgetsurvey.html

Knowledge Networks is passionate about research in marketing, media, health and social policy – collaborating closely with client teams throughout the research process, while applying rigor in everything we do. We specialize in innovative online research that consistently gives leaders in business, government, and academia the confidence to make important decisions.

KN delivers affordable, statistically valid online research through KnowledgePanel® and leverages a variety of other assets, such as world class advanced analytics, an industry-leading physician panel, an innovative platform for measuring online ad effectiveness, and a research-ready behavioral database of frequent supermarket and drug store shoppers.

¹ Norman H. Nie is the co-founder and non-executive Chairman of the Board for Knowledge Networks, professor emeritus of political science at University of Chicago and Stanford University, and currently the president and CEO of Revolution Analytics. Curtiss L. Cobb III is a survey methodologist at Knowledge Networks and has Ph.D. in Sociology from Stanford University.