Texas Governor Rick Perry recently caused a stir when he told voters it was his goal to make Washington, D.C. as inconsequential as possible in their lives. But voters are closely divided over whether that’s such a good idea.
Slightly more voters continue to classify themselves as pro-choice rather than pro-life when it comes to abortion, but a majority still believes it is morally wrong.
Most voters continue to believe states should be able to ignore federal programs they don’t like, especially if the federal government doesn’t help pay for them.
Americans overall tend to trust governments closer to home rather than the federal government and worry that the team in DC has too much influence over state governments. However, Democrats and those who are politically liberal take an entirely different view.
The Obama administration is expected to announce more infrastructure spending as part of a new jobs plan in September, but Americans still think private companies will do more to create jobs than the government can.
Americans increasingly believe government anti-poverty programs cause more poverty in this country.
The Obama administration has increased its criticism of Syria’s violent response to anti-government protests, and both President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are now calling for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down. But most U.S. voters continue to think America should mind its own business when it comes to Syria.
A plurality of U.S. voters continues to say they’re politically conservative when it comes to fiscal issue, but voters are more evenly divided on their social views.
Voter support for continued military action in Libya continues to fall along with the number of voters who think dictator Moammar Gaddafi will be removed from power as a result.
Congress is looking for sizable spending cuts in the months ahead, and voters see three so-called “corporate welfare” programs as potential candidates for the chopping block - farm subsidies, aid to large corporations to promote export sales and funding to help other countries buy U.S.-made weapons.
The number of voters who consider the Republican agenda in Congress as extreme has risen to its highest level yet, while a plurality continues to view the Democrats' that way.
More voters still think the average Tea Party member has a better handle on America’s problems than the average member of Congress does, but there’s a sharp difference of opinion between Democrats and Republicans.
Congress and presidents have been playing the “spending cuts” game for years, but most voters know what they’re really talking about.
Defense spending, along with Social Security and Medicare, accounts for over 50% of the federal budget and is sure to come under the knife as Congress and President Obama look for ways to cut the nation’s staggering deficit. Most voters think that’s a good idea.
With faith already lacking in the government and the economy, U.S. voters now have less confidence than ever in the fairness of elections.
Several prominent Democrats and their media friends have charged the Tea Party with being economic terrorists during the congressional budget debates, but most voters don’t see it that way.
Fewer voters than ever feel the federal government has the consent of the governed.
Most voters don’t think members of Congress should be allowed to lobby for several years after they step down.
President Obama and Congress agreed to cut a trillion dollars in federal spending over the next decade as part of the recently concluded debt ceiling deal, but most voters doubt that will actually happen.
Although voters are skeptical that federal spending will actually be cut following the debt ceiling debate, a majority opposes automatic spending cuts if Congress doesn’t reach its reduction goals. A so-called Super Committee has been tasked with finding cuts of $1.5 trillion over a decade and recommending those cuts to the full Congress. If no cuts are agreed upon, automatic cuts are supposed to go into effect.
