---
title: "Only a Handful of Proposals for Reducing the Deficit Get Majority Support"
description: "Only three of 12 proposals for reducing the deficit garnered majority support in an early December survey."
date: "2012-12-20"
authors:
  - name: "Bruce Drake"
    job_title: "Former Senior Editor"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/bruce-drake/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2012/12/20/only-a-handful-of-proposals-for-reducing-the-deficit-get-majority-support/"
categories:
  - "Social Security & Medicare"
---

# Only a Handful of Proposals for Reducing the Deficit Get Majority Support

Among a dozen specific spending and tax options for reducing the national debt and deficit, only three win majority approval from the public. They include: raising the tax rate on incomes over $250,000 (69% approve); limiting the amount of deductions a taxpayer can claim (54% approve); and raising the tax rate on investment income (52% approve). While limiting deductions overall receives majority support, fewer (41%) support limiting the home mortgage interest deduction.

At the other end of the spectrum -- cuts in federal funding for education, transportation and the poor are particularly unpopular. Fully 77% disapprove of cuts in education, 67% oppose reduced funding for roads and transportation and 58% disapprove of cuts in federal aid to the poor. In addition, 55% disapprove of reductions in military defense spending while 43% approve.

There are substantial partisan differences over most of these proposals. Democrats are far more likely than Republicans to support reducing military defense spending and raising taxes on personal incomes over $250,000 and on investment income. A majority of Democrats (57%) approve of defense cuts, compared with 22% of Republicans.

Similarly, fully 86% of Democrats support raising taxes on income over $250,000. Republicans are more divided; 52% approve of this while 44% disapprove. A majority of Democrats (62%) support increasing the tax rate on investment income while a majority of Republicans disapprove (60%).

By contrast, Republicans are about twice as likely as Democrats to support cuts in federal funding for programs that help low-income people (53% vs. 24%). And while Republicans are divided over whether to gradually raise the age for Social Security benefits, fully 67% of Democrats disapprove. [Read more](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2012/12/13/section-2-the-deficit-taxes-and-awareness-of-fiscal-cliff/)

[![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2012/12/12-13-12-19.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2012/12/13/section-2-the-deficit-taxes-and-awareness-of-fiscal-cliff/)