---
title: "The Deficit Debate: Where the Public Stands"
description: "In a number of surveys over the past several months, the Pew Research Center has shown where the public stands on the budget deficit -- the seriousness of the problem, views of competing policy proposals, and its confidence in the policymakers."
date: "2011-04-12"
authors:
  - name: "Tom Rosentiel"
    job_title: "Guest Contributor"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2011/04/12/the-deficit-debate-where-the-public-stands/"
categories:
  - "Economic Conditions"
  - "Economic Policy"
  - "Government Spending & the Deficit"
---

# The Deficit Debate: Where the Public Stands

With the initial skirmishing over this year's budget now settled, President Obama and Congress are preparing for the main event -- figuring out how to make substantial inroads on the country's $1.5 trillion deficit. In a number of surveys over the past several months, the Pew Research Center has shown where the public stands on the budget deficit -- the seriousness of the problem, views of competing policy proposals, and its confidence in the policymakers:

**A Big Concern, Not the Only Concern. ** In December, 70% said that the federal budget deficit is a serious problem that must be addressed now. But the deficit is not the public's top economic worry. A [March survey](http://pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2011/03/16/republicans-are-losing-ground-on-the-deficit-but-obamas-not-gaining/) found that 34% said the job situation was the economic issue they found most worrisome, followed by rising prices (28%) and the budget deficit (24%). The number citing the deficit as their top economy worry had increased from 19% in December. Concern over rising prices increased even more dramatically -- from 15% in December to 28% in March.

**The Bottom Line: Cut and Raise.** The public does not eagerly embrace sacrifice to achieve deficit reduction. Asked in [March](http://pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2011/03/16/republicans-are-losing-ground-on-the-deficit-but-obamas-not-gaining/) about four broad proposals to reduce the deficit, a clear majority approved of just one -- lowering domestic spending. Nonetheless, most Americans agree that it will be necessary to cut spending and raise taxes to cut the deficit. In [December](http://pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2010/12/09/deficit-solutions-meet-with-public-skepticism-2/), 65% said the best way to reduce the federal budget deficit is to cut major programs and increase taxes. Majorities of Republicans, Democrats and independents favored a combination of spending cuts and tax increases.

**Anti-Deficit Measures: Mostly Not Acceptable.** The public's view of the deficit is often summarized as follows: Yes, Americans agree that the nation's finances are in a precarious state and, yes, something needs to be done. Yet they overwhelmingly reject any specific ideas for reducing the deficit -- particularly when it comes to changes in entitlement programs. There is some truth in that, but there is perhaps a surprising degree of variance in opinions about [individual proposals to reduce the deficit](http://pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2010/12/09/deficit-solutions-meet-with-public-skepticism-2/). There are what might be called the Big No-Nos (70% or more oppose): These include taxing employer-provided health insurance benefits, raising the gas tax and reducing federal funding to states for education and roads. Then there are the moderate No-Nos (50% to 60% oppose); these include gradually raising the retirement age for Social Security and eliminating the home mortgage interest deduction. The public is evenly divided over trimming Social Security benefits for higher-income seniors. Still, of 12 proposals tested, only two attract majority support -- freezing the salaries of federal workers and raising the Social Security contribution cap for high earners.

**Less Support for Increased Spending, Modest Support for Cuts.** The public's views on federal spending for popular programs have changed -- maybe not as rapidly as some deficit hawks would like, but they have changed nonetheless. [The number of Americans who favor increased spending for unemployment assistance, Medicare, veterans' benefits and defense has declined significantly since 2009.](http://pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2011/02/10/fewer-want-spending-to-grow-but-most-cuts-remain-unpopular/) Despite these decreases, most are still not willing to cut spending in these areas. But this showed that opinions about government spending are not set in stone.

**Who's Winning? No One.** As President Obama prepares for his highly anticipated speech on the deficit April 13, the public gives him and his party low marks for their handling of the issue. [In a survey earlier this month](http://pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2011/04/07/section-1-views-of-obama-4/), just 33% approved of his handling of the federal budget deficit; 59% disapproved. The GOP led the Democrats by 12 points as the party better able to handle the deficit ([46% to 34%](http://pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2011/04/07/section-3-views-of-the-political-parties/)). Yet when asked whether the GOP, or Obama, has the better approach on the deficit, [most Americans (52%) say there is not much difference between the two sides](http://pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2011/03/16/republicans-are-losing-ground-on-the-deficit-but-obamas-not-gaining/) -- and Republicans have lost ground on this measure, among their own base, since November. The public is even skeptical of the Bowles-Simpson commission, which Obama appointed to break the gridlock on the deficit. [In December](http://pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2010/12/09/deficit-solutions-meet-with-public-skepticism-2/), just 30% approved of the deficit commission's proposals while 48% disapproved.