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Economic Policy

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    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 […]

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    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 […]

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    Most Approve of Ending Saturday Mail Delivery

    Overview A majority of Americans (54%) approve of the U.S. Postal Serviceโ€™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 โ€“ 58% of independents approve of the action, as do 57% of Republicans […]

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    China and Cyber Attacks: A Top Concern of U.S. Experts

    China’s alleged cyber-espionage campaigns against other governments, major corporations and, most recently, the media, have increasingly become a focus of U.S. officials and news reports. In the superpower competition between the U.S. and China, most American experts ranked cyber attacks from China as a more serious problem than the economic or military challenges it poses.

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    The U.S. Focuses on Its Homefront

    The presidentโ€™s inaugural address and the confirmation testimony of Kerry and Hagel are being scrutinized by foreigners for signs of Americaโ€™s international intentions. To separate lofty ambitions from practical realities, their statements must be interpreted in the context of U.S. public opinion โ€“ and that means they should be taken with a large grain of salt.

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    The U.S. Fiscal Cliff Redux

    At the turn of the year the United States avoided careening over a fiscal cliff – which would have triggered recession-inducing automatic tax increases and spending cuts – by passing legislation that raised some taxes, but did little to cut spending.

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    Deficit Reduction Rises on Publicโ€™s Agenda for Obamaโ€™s Second Term

    Overview When Barack Obama took office four years ago, reducing the budget deficit was a middle-tier item on the publicโ€™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 […]

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    Public Attitudes Toward the Next Social Contract

    Recent deliberations in Washington have triggered a national debate about key elements of the social safety net. Why the U.S. invests relatively less in its social safety net than many other countries reflect Americansโ€™ conflicted, partisan and often contradictory views on fairness, inequality, the role and responsibility of government and individuals in society and the efficacy of government action.

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    Obama Viewed as Fiscal Cliff Victor; Legislation Gets Lukewarm Reception

    Overview Barack Obama is viewed as the clear political winner in the fiscal cliff negotiations, but the legislation itself gets only a lukewarm reception from the public: As many disapprove as approve of the new tax legislation, and more say it will have a negative than positive impact on the federal budget deficit, the national […]

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