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26% Like Ryan’s Budget-Cutting Plan, 27% Don’t, 47% Not Sure

Washington, D.C. is abuzz with Republican Congressman Paul Ryan’s plan to cut $4 trillion in federal spending over the next decade, but voters throughout the country aren’t paying that much attention.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 26% of Likely U.S. Voters say they favor the proposal presented by the Wisconsin congressman from what they’ve read, seen or heard about it. But just as many (27%) oppose it. However, 47% have no opinion of Ryan’s plan. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Thirty-one percent (31%) of voters accurately believe the proposal presented by Ryan calls for major changes in defense, Social Security and Medicare. Sixteen percent (16%) say it does not change these politically sensitive areas, but 53% aren’t sure.

Forty-eight percent (48%) of voters recognize that it is necessary to make major changes in defense, Social Security, and Medicare to make truly significant, long-term cuts in government spending.

Nationally, just 33% have followed news stories about the Ryan budget plan Very Closely. Another 36% say they’ve followed news on the topic Somewhat Closely.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 7-8, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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