Poll: Public prefers cutting defense spending

[NeoConsSuck]

Source: MSNBC

WASHINGTON — A majority of Americans prefer cutting defense spending to reduce the federal deficit rather than taking money from public retirement and health programs, a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday showed.

The poll found 51 percent of Americans support reducing defense spending, and only 28 percent want to cut Medicare and Medicaid health programs for the elderly and poor. A mere 18 percent back cuts in the Social Security retirement program.

The Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security programs, known as entitlements, and defense spending together account for about two-thirds of the $3.7 trillion federal budget, but they are not a major part of the debate in Congress over spending cuts.

The poll suggests lawmakers could face political peril if they touch the popular health and retirement programs.



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41993528/ns/politics-more_politics/

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On that last paragraph, I have to disagree. A republican can vote to cut entitlement programs and not have to worry about re-election. They just have to say that they're anti-gay, anti-muslim and pro-guns.

Sorry, but that is how I feel about the typical ignorant American voter.

<edited for spelling>

[chill_wind]

1. K & R.

[msongs]

2. Obama is way behind the curve and so is our paid off congress nt

[humbled_opinion]

3. How dare you cut funding

to the very troops that Obama has put in harms way fighting wars in foreign lands.....

LOL....

If the President was worth his salt he would have removed this option from the rightwingers long ago, alas he has failed in so many ways.

[Sonicwall]

4. I prefer cutting it down to the bare bones

Recall the troops! End both unnecessary wars, and tell the corporations to USE their money, not the government's money.

[defendandprotect]

8. Send all the intelligence agencies packing, as well--!!

[fittosurvive]

5. The problem is when cuts are actually proposed, these same people

oppose cutting defense spending in their localities.

[bloomington-lib]

6. "A republican can vote to cut entitlement programs and not have to worry about re-election. "

I'm not convinced being re-elected is a top priority for all of them. They've waited a loooong time to be in a position to cut entitlements, education, union powers, etc. They had to run up a huge debt to have a chance at putting those on the cutting board. They've made happen exactly what they wanted to happen and they'll try their hardest to get that job done. It's not like they're public employees to put food on the table. They've been placed there and they'll be rewarded.

[defendandprotect]

7. Of course!! And, as long as Repugs can lie about everything, voters will lose -- !!

[classysassy]

9. "Oh if You Could See What I See"

I spent over twenty years in the military and another twenty as a civil servant,the daily wast is enough to send a thousand kids to college for four years and buy each one a shinny new automobile each year he or she stays in school.We spend billions contracting out work that was formerly done by service members.The civilian work force(civil service) is bloated and could be reduced by 50%.Close all foreign military installations,do as Canada have done combine all branches of the military into one force,Air,Land,Water the savings on duplication would be in the billions of dollars.Bring back the draft,two years active duty and eight in the ready reserves.The draft would save untold lives and money galore,it would prevent wars,those damn congress critters would think twice about voting for wars for oil if their brats had to place buns in harms way.

[midnight]

10. I have little doubt about this....

[Enthusiast]

11. PLUS ONE! nt

[Bragi]

12. Agree totally on the draft

It turns out that having a professional, careerist, mercenary military is a far better idea for the Military Industrial Complex than it is for the people, or for democracy.

[lark]

13. Kickety kick kick kick

I don't think Repugs can blithely cut social security and get away with it, and yes I totally agree about the ignorance of American voters. However, I don't think that's the biggest issue, the biggest issue is that major Repug supporters (large corporations) own the vote counting machines and it's funny how the exit polls now don't match the reported vote count at all, where they used to. corporations control us, control the media and most Americans aren't smart enough to investigate other sources and believe what they see on Faux, ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN. None of these sources present the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. They slant the news for their absurdly rich owners and squash anything helpful to the working class. If citizens United were ever to be thrown out and corporations held to individual donations level, and voting machines were nationalized and given a bipartisan board of hackers to continually test and verify results and results weren't final until proven correct - things would change significantly and immediately. I'd bet it'd seem like Americans grew a brain over night.

[Kingofalldems]

14. K and R all threads freepers will hate