Latest Pew Poll: "Majority Don't Want Entitlement Cuts to Reduce Deficit"/ TPM

[KoKo]

Poll: Majority Don’t Want Entitlement Cuts To Reduce Deficit
Jon Terbium

Despite all the talk about cutting the deficit, neither party has wanted to be the first one to put entitlements on the chopping block. A Pew poll released Thursday explains why, as it shows that a robust majority of Americans don't want the government to rollback benefits for entitlement programs, even if those cuts are made to reduce the deficit.

Six in ten Americans said it was more important to leave Social Security and Medicare benefits untouched than to make cuts as a way to reduce the deficit, roughly twice as many as the 32% who said the opposite.Further, 61% said Medicare recipients already pay enough of their health costs, while 31% said beneficiaries should pay more money into the program.

Those findings come as several reports indicate that the White House may offer cuts to both Social Security and Medicare in exchange for Republican concessions on other fronts.

Even Republicans were wary of slicing into those programs, with 47% saying it was more important to preserve Social Security and Medicare, versus 44% who said it was more important to reduce the deficit.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/07/poll-majority-dont-want-entitlement-cuts-to-reduce-deficit.php?ref=fpb

[ErikJ]

1. Pentagon spending tripled in past 11 years

Lets start with cuts there 2/3rds of it!

[girl gone mad]

2. The government deficit simply represents a private sector surplus (savings).

If people were asked if they want to slash American citizen's savings, I'm sure it would poll even lower.

[asjr]

3. Bush and Cheney need to turn out their

pockets and bail us out. They are the one who made the deficit. Cheney should be worth gazillions.

[aquart]

4. But the Koch brothers do. Grover Norquist does.

Who really matters?

[LongTomH]

5. And, so what else is news Bubby?

Hmmmm???? This is the way polls have been coming down on this issue all along!