Nearly one-half of Americans now think the United States can make major cuts in defense spending without putting the country in danger. They believe even more strongly that there’s no risk in cutting way back on what America spends to defend other countries.
Most voters still favor repeal of the national health care law and believe it will increase the federal deficit at the very time President Obama and Congress are trying to find ways to make significant cuts in government spending.
Two-out-of-three (66%) Likely U.S. Voters think gaining control of the border is more important than legalizing the status of illegal immigrants already living in America when it comes to immigration reform policy.
President Obama continues to insist that tax increases be part of any deal to raise the federal debt ceiling before he agrees to the level of spending cuts Republicans are seeking. But most voters don’t see it that way.
Voters continue to say President Obama is doing a better job on national security issues than economic issues, but his marks in both areas have improved slightly over the past several weeks.
Voters remain slightly more conservative when it comes to fiscal policy than they are on social issues, while 29% still say they are conservative in both areas.
One-in-five Americans (20%) say they or someone they know has bought large quantities of traditional light bulbs to use when those bulbs disappear off store shelves next year under new federal light bulb regulations.
Voter optimism about U.S. involvement in Afghanistan has slipped back to levels measured before the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Consistent with trust in individual citizens rather than government officials, most adults nationwide still trust a jury over a judge to determine the innocence or guilt of a defendant. However, faith in juries is down a bit following the Casey Anthony verdict.
A generic Republican candidate earns the highest level of support yet against President Obama in a hypothetical 2012 election match up.
Voters remain skeptical about U.S. military involvement in Libya, with a plurality still opposed to further military action in the north African country.
Voters oppose any increase in the federal gas tax even if the money goes only to developing and keeping up Interstate highways.
As they have consistently, voters continue to believe that President Obama is more liberal than they are, though that number has reached a new low.
President Obama and Congress are currently debating how deep to cut government spending and whether to include some tax increases as part of a budget deal. But voters feel more strongly than ever that decreasing government spending is good for the economy and think tax increases of any kind are bad economic medicine.
There was more bad news on the unemployment front Friday, and Americans continue to express little optimism that the elected officials they have now will be able to do anything about it. They also strongly question the national security direction the country has taken.
Voters remain strongly supportive of a free market economy over one controlled by the government and still think small businesses are hurt more than big businesses when the government does get involved.
Support among voters for a military draft is at its lowest level in several years, but nearly one-out-of-three voters favor mandatory public service.
For the second month in a row, slightly more voters describe the Republican agenda in Congress as being more extreme than mainstream. Voters have consistently felt this way about the agenda of congressional Democrats.
Compared to the four presidents who followed him, Ronald Reagan had a more limited view of when to send U.S. military force into action overseas and voters today still embrace the more restrained use of force that he advocated.
While a majority of U.S. voters still feel discovering new sources of energy is more important than reducing energy consumption, the number who feel this way has fallen to a new low. Voters also continue to believe there’s a conflict between economic growth and environmental protection.
