Wisconsin Public Radio & St. Norbert College
Survey Center
THE WISCONSIN SURVEY – FALL
2005
National
Budget
FOR RELEASE AFTER: 8AM FRIDAY NOV. 18.
Survey
Information:
Number
of Adult Wisconsin Resident Respondents:
400
Interview
Period: October 31 – November 11, 2005
Margin
of Error: +/- 5% at the 95% confidence level.
Contact:
Wendy
Scattergood
Assistant
Professor of Political Science, St. Norbert College Survey Center
DePere,
WI 54115, (920) 403-3491, wendy.scattergood@snc.edu
Given all the
issues currently in front of Congress and the President, do you think reducing
the federal budget deficit should be among the top priorities, or should it be
a lower priority at this point in time?
Top Priority 61%
Lower
Priority 33%
Not
Sure 6%
Refused <1%
The President
and Congress are currently working on how to decrease the budget deficit. For
each of the following means for doing this, please tell me whether you are in
favor or opposed to that particular measure.
|
|
Favor |
Oppose |
Not Sure |
Refused |
|
Repealing Some of the Recent Tax Cuts |
51% |
41% |
8% |
<1% |
|
Cutting Defense Spending |
36% |
60% |
4% |
<1% |
|
Cutting Domestic Program Spending |
41% |
55% |
4% |
<1% |
|
Continue to Run in Deficit Until We Are in a Better Position |
61% |
34% |
5% |
0% |
The table above should be read across. Respondents were asked each budget option separately and asked whether they favored or opposed each one.
While addressing the budget
issue is, for most, a high priority, the most popular of the 4 options given to
respondents was to continue to run a deficit until we are in a better position.
While 61% said the budget should be a top priority, 61% also said we should
continue to run a deficit. Over half said we should repeal some of the tax
cuts, 41% said we should cut domestic spending and 36% said we should cut
defense spending.
|
|
Level of Budget
Priority |
Those who "Favor" Diff Methods
of Budget Fix |
|||||
|
|
Top |
Lower |
Not Sure |
Repeal Tax Cuts |
Cut Defense $ |
Cut Domestic $ |
Run Deficit |
|
Democrats |
70% |
23% |
7% |
68% |
53% |
25% |
56% |
|
Republicans |
50% |
45% |
5% |
36% |
18% |
63% |
66% |
|
Independents |
61% |
34% |
5% |
46% |
34% |
40% |
65% |
|
Other |
67% |
27% |
7% |
50% |
33% |
27% |
67% |
The table above should be read across, e.g., 46% of Independents feel we should repeal some of the recent tax cuts to address the deficit.