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Government Spending & the Deficit

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Government Spending & the Deficit

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short readsOct 2, 2013

Federal government shutdown: The data casualties

Which federal data sources are, aren’t and may be affected by the government shutdown.
short readsOct 1, 2013

How much might a government shutdown cost? Plenty, history says

The estimated cost of the two federal government shutdowns in fiscal 1996 was more than $1.4 billion ($2.1 billion in today’s dollars).
short readsSep 27, 2013

Chart of the Week: The bipartisan federal debt limit

Raising the federal debt limit has given both Republicans and Democrats, in Congress and the White House, fits for decades.
short readsMay 15, 2013

The most popular areas of government are shedding the most workers

Popularity is no protection against budget cuts: The parts of government that Americans like the most — state, cities and counties, and the U.S. Postal Service — are also the ones shedding workers the fastest. The most recent nonfarm payroll figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the public sector continues to be a drag on […]
reportApr 29, 2013

Political Blame for Flight Delays Spread Evenly

Overview As Washington sprang into action late last week to end the furlough of federal air-traffic controllers and delays at airports across the country, the public blamed both sides for the situation. Nearly equal percentages say congressional Republicans (34%) and the Obama administration (32%) are more to blame for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) budget […]
reportFeb 25, 2013

Most Say Spending Cuts Would Have Major Impact on Economy, Military

Overview While many Americans may be resigned to seeing automatic spending cuts in the budget sequester go into effect, the public is concerned about the potential impact of the reductions. A new national survey by the Pew Research Center and The Washington Post, conducted Feb. 21-24 among 1,000 adults, finds that most say the budget […]
reportFeb 22, 2013

As Sequester Deadline Looms, Little Support for Cutting Most Programs

Overview As the March 1 deadline for a possible budget sequester approaches, a new national survey finds limited public support for reducing spending for a range of specific programs, including defense, entitlements, education and health care. For 18 of 19 programs tested, majorities want either to increase spending or maintain it at current levels. The […]
reportFeb 21, 2013

If No Deal is Struck, Four-in-Ten Say Let the Sequester Happen

Overview After a series of fiscal crises over the past few years, the public is not expressing a particular sense of urgency over the pending March 1 sequester deadline. With little more than a week to go, barely a quarter have heard a lot about the scheduled cuts, while about as many have heard nothing […]
reportFeb 14, 2013

Most Approve of Ending Saturday Mail Delivery

Overview A majority of Americans (54%) approve of the U.S. Postal Service’s recent decision to halt Saturday delivery of letters, while 32% disapprove of the decision. The planned end of Saturday mail delivery is a rare government decision that garners bipartisan support – 58% of independents approve of the action, as do 57% of Republicans […]
reportJan 24, 2013

Deficit Reduction Rises on Public’s Agenda for Obama’s Second Term

Overview When Barack Obama took office four years ago, reducing the budget deficit was a middle-tier item on the public’s agenda. Only about half of Americans (53%) viewed it as a top policy priority in January 2009, placing it ninth on a list of 20 policy goals. But as Obama begins his second term, only […]