HART

RESEARCH
A S S OC I A T E S

Voters’ Attitudes
Toward The Budget
Deficit & National Debt
Key findings from nationwide survey conducted February 2009
for
 Methodology
 Telephone survey among 1,008 registered voters
nationwide, February 18 – 23, 2009
 Margin of error = ±3.1 percentage points overall,
higher among subgroups
 Interactive Dialogue System focus group among
a diverse group of 25 participants, conducted
October 27, 2008, in Cleveland, Ohio
 Six focus groups conducted August – October 2008
 Two groups each in Kansas City, Atlanta, Philadelphia
 One group each among young male voters, young
female voters, male swing voters, female swing voters,
Medicare beneficiaries, rising retirees ages 55 to 64

2 Voters on Budget Deficit & National Debt – February 2009 – Hart/Public Opinion Strategies for
 Voters’ Agenda For Obama Includes
Addressing Budget Problems
One or Two Top Priorities on which President Obama Should Focus

Get the economy back

on track and people 78%
back to work
Get our financial house in
order/deal with growing 42%
budget deficit & nat’l debt

Deal with war in Iraq/other 29%

international challenges

Pass health care reform

so health care is more 24%
accessible/affordable

Cut taxes for the 20%

middle class

3 Voters on Budget Deficit & National Debt – February 2009 – Hart/Public Opinion Strategies for
 Budget Deficit/National Debt
Outranks Other Threats
 Very big threat to our country/future  Fairly big threat to our country/future

Growing budget deficit 66% (58% Dem, 72% Ind, 73% GOP) 85%
and national debt

Manufacturing jobs
continuing to move 57% 78%
overseas
Country not friendly to
U.S. developing nuclear 58% 77%
weapons capabilities
Schools not providing
students skills/knowledge 51% 71%
to compete in global
economy
Global climate change 24% 41%

4 Voters on Budget Deficit & National Debt – February 2009 – Hart/Public Opinion Strategies for
Voters Split On Whether Now Is The
Time To Address Budget Problems
Time Frame for Dealing with Federal Budget Deficit/National Debt
Must act now to address deficit/national debt; economy won’t be stable until we
begin to solve problems threatening long-term health/security of U.S. economy
47%
Democrats 46% African Americans 62%
Independents 50% High school/less educ 53%
Republicans 46% Blue-collar households 55%

Not good time for additional sacrifices in current recession/with economic

challenges, (tax increase, program cuts); address after economy turns around
43%
Don’t need major steps to address deficit/national debt; had surplus not long ago,
had huge deficit a few years later: these fluctuations don’t have much real impact
8%

5 Voters on Budget Deficit & National Debt – February 2009 – Hart/Public Opinion Strategies for
 Voters Split On Basic Approach
To Addressing Budget Problems
To get our country’s financial situation in order, on which
one or two of these areas should we concentrate?

44%
 Spending less on programs 40%
such as education, defense, 39%
36%
and law enforcement
32%
 Increasing taxes 28%
25% 26%
22% 23%
 Making major reforms to
entitlement programs such 16%
as Medicare and Social 15%
Security

All Demo- Inde- Repub-

voters crats pendents licans

6 Voters on Budget Deficit & National Debt – February 2009 – Hart/Public Opinion Strategies for
 Voters Split On What It Will Take
To Solve Budget Problems
 Some people say that we can adequately
address our growing national debt and 58% 57%
solve our budget problems by cutting
waste, fraud, and abuse in government
spending and cutting spending on the
war in Iraq without also making major 44% 45% 44%
changes to government programs or 41%
our tax policies. 37%
 Other people say that in order to
adequately address our budget problems 27%
and growing national debt we have to
make major structural changes to
large entitlement programs such as
Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid
in combination with major changes to
our federal tax system and other
government spending, and that just
cutting waste, fraud, and abuse in
government spending and cutting All Demo- Inde- Repub-
spending on the war in Iraq is not voters crats pendents licans
enough.

7 Voters on Budget Deficit & National Debt – February 2009 – Hart/Public Opinion Strategies for
 Medicaid Proposals
Strongly Somewhat
Support Support Oppose
Cap Medicaid payments to physicians, hospitals, 37% 33% 24%
and other health care providers so that they can (11% strong)
increase only at the rate of growth in the overall
economy. This would have a major impact on getting
our country's budget situation in order.
Limit the number of people who are eligible for 27% 37% 32%
Medicaid by focusing on people at or near the poverty (14% strong)
level, especially for long-term health care coverage.
This would have at least a moderate impact on getting
our country's budget situation in order.
Lower the federal share of Medicaid payments to 22% 41% 31%
states and turn over primary responsibility for paying (14% strong)
for health care of low-income adults and children to the
states to encourage them to be more cost conscious.
This would have at least a moderate impact on getting
our country's budget situation in order.

8 Voters on Budget Deficit & National Debt – February 2009 – Hart/Public Opinion Strategies for
 Medicare Proposals
Strongly Somewhat
Support Support Oppose
Cap Medicare payments to physicians, hospitals, 44% 29% 24%
and other health care providers so that they can (14% strong)
increase only at the rate of growth in the overall
economy. This would have a major impact on getting
our country's budget situation in order.
Reform Medicare so that it is more need-based, 38% 36% 24%
providing larger subsidies for low-income seniors, and (14% strong)
smaller subsidies for seniors who make above a
certain income level. This would have at least a
moderate impact on getting our country's budget
situation in order.
Increase the Medicare payroll taxes paid by both 17% 35% 46%
employers and employees. This would have at least a (29% strong)
moderate impact on getting our country's budget
situation in order.
Gradually increase the eligibility age for Medicare 15% 26% 57%
from 65 to 70 & tie future age increases to life expec- (40% strong)
tancy estimates. This would have at least a moderate
impact on getting country's budget situation in order.

9 Voters on Budget Deficit & National Debt – February 2009 – Hart/Public Opinion Strategies for
 Social Security Proposals
Strongly Somewhat
Support Support Oppose
Provide all future Social Security beneficiaries with a 38% 34% 23%
uniform benefit level that is designed to ensure that they (11% strong)
will not live in poverty during retirement years. This would
have a moderate impact on getting our country's budget
situation in order.
Make income up to $125,000 subject to Social Security 36% 29% 27%
taxes. This would have a moderate impact on getting our (16% strong)
country's budget situation in order.
Phase in an increase in the normal retirement age to 20% 28% 48%
70 over the next two decades and tie future increases in (32% strong)
the retirement age to life expectancy estimates. This
would have at least a moderate impact on getting our
country's budget situation in order.
Significantly increase the Social Security payroll taxes 16% 34% 46%
paid by both employers and employees. This would have (31% strong)
a moderate to major impact on getting our country's
budget situation in order.
Decrease annual Social Security cost of living 11% 27% 59%
adjustments by a small amount. This would have a (35% strong)
moderate impact on getting country's budget in order.

10 Voters on Budget Deficit & National Debt – February 2009 – Hart/Public Opinion Strategies for
 Revenue Proposals
Strongly Somewhat
Support Support Oppose
Enact a new national sales tax of 23% on certain 22% 20% 51%
consumer goods, which would replace current federal (34% strong)
income and payroll taxes. This would have at least a
moderate impact on getting our country's budget
situation in order.
Cap the amount of tax deductions homeowners 13% 32% 47%
can receive from the home mortgage interest (30% strong)
deduction. This would have a moderate impact on
getting our country's budget situation in order.
Limit the amount of employer-paid health care 10% 24% 61%
coverage that employees can receive tax-free and (40% strong)
require that they pay taxes on any coverage they
receive above that amount. This would have a
moderate impact on getting our country's budget
situation in order.

11 Voters on Budget Deficit & National Debt – February 2009 – Hart/Public Opinion Strategies for
 Strong Support For Bipartisan
Commission
Preferred Approach to Address Our Federal Budget Problems

Bipartisan commission of Members of Congress from both political parties and senior
officials from Obama administration develop package of reforms to address national
debt and budget problems; unlike current legislative process, Congress would have
to vote on entire package, with limited or no opportunity to make changes.
56%

Regular process Congress uses to consider legislative proposals

30%

By two to one, voters also prefer a

Neither/not sure bipartisan commission of Members of
Congress from both parties, Obama
14% administration officials, and nonpolitical
economic experts.

12 Voters on Budget Deficit & National Debt – February 2009 – Hart/Public Opinion Strategies for
 HART
RESEARCH
A S S OC I A T E S

Voters’ Attitudes
Toward The Budget
Deficit & National Debt
Key findings from nationwide survey conducted February 2009
for