The American public tags the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as the main culprit in the burgeoning of United States national debt. Fully 60% say the cost of these wars contributed a great deal to the size of the debt. Far fewer Americans say an increase in government spending on domestic problems (24%) or the Bush administration tax cuts (19%) contributed a great deal to the debt. Two-thirds of Democrats, including 79% of liberal Democrats, and 62% of independents say that the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan contributed a great deal to the debt. For both Democrats and independents, no other factor comes close to the wars’ price-tag. Nearly half of Republicans (49%) also cite the wars as major contributors to the debt, with little difference in opinion between conservative and moderate Republicans. Read More
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