Topics At A Glance: Defense Spending

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(Now, just so everyone has the same information, I'm going to read you a brief description...The federal debt ceiling acts as a check and limit on the country's overall liabilities, including the federal deficit and other debts. When the US (United States) Treasury needs to issue debt above the ceiling in order to avoid going into bankruptcy and defaulting on its obligations, Congress needs to vote to raise the ceiling. Congress is again currently considering whether and how much to extend the debt ceiling.)...And, thinking some more about the debt ceiling...I'm going to read you two statements about the debt ceiling and please tell me which comes closer to your point of view. Some people say do not raise the debt ceiling because doing so will make it easier to increase spending and harder to reduce the deficit, and will increase the debt held by other countries and passed on to the next generation. Efforts to control the debt must begin now and the first step needs to be to not raise the debt ceiling. Other people say raise the debt ceiling because failing to do so could stop the government from meeting its obligations, including payments to those on Social Security and in the military, and cause additional harm to the economy. Efforts to control debt should be comprehensive and long-term rather than artificial and short-term.

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll, [Jul, 2011]

Do you think that we should increase our spending on national defense, keep it about the same, or cut it back?

Note: Asked in Survey A (half sample)
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press Political Typology Survey, [Feb, 2011]

There is much discussion as to the amount of money the government in Washington should spend for national defense and military purposes. How do you feel about this? Do you think we are spending too little, about the right amount, or too much?

Gallup Poll, [Feb, 2011]

Spending on Defense vs. Other Domestic Problems

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As you may know, the largest items in the federal budget are Medicare, the government health insurance programs for seniors, Social Security, and the military. If you had to choose one, which of the following programs would you be willing to change in order to cut spending--Medicare, Social Security, or the military?

%
15		Medicare
13		Social Security
52		Military
2		All (Vol.)
2		Combination (Vol.)
10		None (Vol.)
6		Don't know/No answer

CBS News/New York Times Poll, [Feb, 2012]

Which of the following issues would you say is most important to you in deciding how to vote for Congress?...Education, Social Security, retirement and investments, terrorism, healthcare/Rx (prescription drugs), the economy, jobs, taxes, crime and safety, environment, national defense/foreign affairs/Iraq, national deficit/spending, energy, gas prices, immigration

%
6		Education
7		Social Security
1		Retirement and investments
1		Terrorism
8		Healthcare/Rx (prescription drugs)
37		The economy
13		Jobs
2		Taxes
1		Crime and safety
1		Environment
2		National defense/Foreign affairs/Iraq
12		National deficit/Spending
1		Energy
*		Gas prices
2		Immigration
2		Other (Vol.)
3		Don't know/Refused

Sample: National registered voters
New Models National Brand Poll, [Dec, 2011]

As you may know, the largest items in the federal budget are Medicare, the government health insurance program for seniors, Social Security and the military. If you had to choose one, which of the following programs would you be willing to change in order to cut government spending--Medicare, Social Security or the military?

%
23		Medicare
22		Social Security
27		Military
4		Combination (Vol.)
3		All (Vol.)
16		None (Vol.)
5		Don't know/No answer

Note: Republican primary voters
CBS News Poll, [Dec, 2011]

Defense Spending and a Balanced Budget

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As you may know, the federal budget is projected to face large deficits in the coming years. Which one of the following do you think is the biggest reason for these deficits?...Wealthy Americans don't pay enough in taxes. Too much government spending on defense. Too much government spending on programs for poor people. Too much government spending on programs for the elderly.

United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll, [Feb, 2012]

%
6		Education
7		Social Security
1		Retirement and investments
1		Terrorism
8		Healthcare/Rx (prescription drugs)
37		The economy
13		Jobs
2		Taxes
1		Crime and safety
1		Environment
2		National defense/Foreign affairs/Iraq
12		National deficit/Spending
1		Energy
*		Gas prices
2		Immigration
2		Other (Vol.)
3		Don't know/Refused

Sample: National registered voters
New Models National Brand Poll, [Dec, 2011]

%
8		Education
7		Social Security
1		Retirement and investments
2		Terrorism
5		Healthcare/Rx
35		The economy
16		Jobs
2		Taxes
1		Crime and safety
1		Environment
2		National defense/Foreign affairs/Iraq
11		National deficit/Spending
1		Energy
1		Gas prices
2		Immigration
2		Other
3		Don't know/Refused

Sample: National registered voters
New Models National Brand Poll, [Nov, 2011]

The "Monetary" Cost of the Iraq War

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Just your best guess...do you think the amount of money the US (United States) has spent on the war in Iraq is one reason for the economic problems the country is facing today, or is the amount of money spent on the Iraq war not related to economic conditions in the country today?

CNN/ORC International Poll, [Dec, 2011]

Which one of the (news) stories I just mentioned (reports about the condition of the US (United States) economy, political protests in Russia, Congress working on a budget agreement to avoid a government shutdown, the complete withdrawal of US forces from Iraq, a sex abuse scandal at Penn State University, news about candidates for the 2012 presidential elections) have you followed most closely, or is there another story you've been following more closely?

%
18		Reports about the condition of the US economy
17		News about candidates for the 2012 presidential elections
17		A sex abuse scandal at Penn State University
12		The complete withdrawal of US forces from Iraq
8		Congress working on a budget agreement to avoid a government shutdown
1		Political protests in Russia
8		Some other story
20		Don't know/Refused

Pew News Interest Index Poll, [Dec, 2011]

Now I would like to read you a list of issues that some people from this part of the country have said are important for Congress to focus on. Please listen as I read the list and tell me which one issue you think is most important....(If Combination/Equally, ask:) But if you had to pick just one, which would you say is most important?...The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, illegal immigration, taxes, terrorism and homeland security, education, health care costs, government spending and the budget deficit, the economy, gas and energy prices, Medicare and Social Security, jobs

%
4		The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
3		Illegal immigration
2		Taxes
3		Terrorism and homeland security
7		Education
7		Health care costs
19		Government spending and the budget deficit
21		The economy
3		Gas and energy prices
6		Medicare and Social Security
18		Jobs
7		Combination/Equally (Vol.)
*		Other (Vol.)
*		Unsure

Sample: National likely voters
Politico/George Washington University Battleground 2012 Survey, [Nov, 2011]

Missile Defense Systems

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Some people feel the US (United States) should try to develop a ground and space based missile defense system to protect the US from missile attack. Others oppose such an effort because they say it would be too costly and might interfere with existing arms treaties with the Russians. Which comes closer to your view?

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll, [Dec, 2010]

Here are two statements people have made about the cost of a missile defense system. Please tell me which one comes closer to your own point of view....A missile defense system is affordable. A missile defense system is not affordable.

National Missile Defense Survey, [Jul, 2007]

Recently there has been some discussion about the possibility of the United States building a defense system against nuclear missiles. Do you think the government should or should not spend the money that would be required for research and possible development of such a system, or are you unsure?

Gallup Poll, [Feb, 2003]

From the Archives

Some people say that the only way the U.S. (United States) can ever hope to balance its budget and reduce taxes is to cut down the costs of defense spending. Do you think there is a lot of truth, only some truth or hardly any truth to this argument?

Cambridge Reports/National Omnibus Survey, [Apr, 1977]

Should the cuts (in spending rather than a reduction in taxes to reduce the deficits you prefer Congress to make in 1986 to reduce the budgeted deficit) come more from military spending or more from social program spending?

Note: Asked of those who said Congress should cut spending/both cut spending and raise taxes to reduce the deficit (76%)
ABC News Poll, [Jan, 1986]

Now I am going to mention various areas that receive money from the federal government. For each one, please tell me if you would be willing to pay more in taxes to keep the program going at its current level, or if you would rather see funding for that area cut. Would you rather pay more in taxes or cut funding for...the military?

Sample: National registered voters
FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll, [Feb, 2006]

Topics At A Glance: Defense Spending

Spending Too Much/To Little on Defense

Spending on Defense vs. Other Domestic Problems

Defense Spending and a Balanced Budget

The "Monetary" Cost of the Iraq War

Missile Defense Systems

From the Archives