Toplines - Spending Cuts - January 26-27, 2010

National Survey of 1,000 Likely Voters
Conducted January 26-27, 2010

By Rasmussen Reports

1* How closely have you followed news stories about the President’s State of the Union Address?

40% Very closely
42% Somewhat closely
13% Not very closely
5% Not at all
1% Not sure

2* President Obama is proposing a three-year freeze in discretionary government spending in nearly all areas except defense, national security, veterans affairs and entitlement programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Do you favor or oppose the President’s proposal for a spending freeze on discretionary spending?

56% Favor
24% Oppose
20% Not sure

3* If it is implemented, will the President’s proposal reduce the deficit a lot, a little, or will it have no impact?

9% A lot
39% A little
42% It will have no impact
10% Not sure

4* Should the federal government increase spending, freeze spending or cut spending?

12% Increase spending
23% Freeze spending
57% Cut spending
9% Not sure

5* What is more important—reducing the federal deficit or reducing federal spending?

39% Reducing the federal deficit
49% Reducing federal spending
12% Not sure

NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence