New Poll: Americans Divided on Raising the Debt Ceiling
For Immediate Release: Contact: Kate Pomeroy
June 13, 2011 571-970-6497 or press@thepublicnotice.org
NEW POLL: AMERICANS DIVIDED ON RAISING THE DEBT CEILING
Nearly Two-Thirds Of Americans Worry Congress Will Not Cut Spending Enough
Arlington, VA – As we head into an inevitable debt ceiling battle, a new poll sponsored by Public Notice and conducted by the Tarrance Group, reveals that if a deal is made to raise the debt limit in exchange for spending cuts, nearly two-thirds of Americans worry Congress will not cut spending enough while less than one-third worry Congress will cut too much.
Gretchen Hamel, Executive Director of Public Notice, stated the following:
“The American people don’t trust Congress. They are skeptical of politicians of all stripes who have promised and failed to get spending under control time again. They blame both parties for the mess we are in and want Republicans and Democrats to work to get us out of it.
“This poll reveals that the majority of Americans will vote for the Member of Congress who votes to raise the debt ceiling with cuts.”
Key Findings:
- Only thirty-one percent (31%) indicate that their biggest worry about a political deal on the debt limit is that Congress would cut spending too much. Fully sixty-two percent (62%) indicate that their concern is that Congress will not cut spending enough.
- This concern is broadly held across the electorate. Even among partisan Democrats, 40% are most concerned that Congress would not cut spending enough and only 49% indicate they are most concerned that Congress would cut spending too much. Fully sixty-five percent (65%) of Independent voters and eighty-two percent (82%) of Republicans indicate that their greatest concern is that Congress would not cut spending enough.
- A majority of voters, fifty-four percent (54%), indicate they would be more likely to vote for a Member of Congress who voted to increase the debt ceiling “if significant spending cuts were also put in place.” Thirty-two percent (32%) indicate they would be less likely to vote for this Member of Congress and 3% indicate this issue would not make any difference to them.
- Partisanship does not have much impact on this measure, with 51% of Democrats, 54% of Independents and 58% of Republicans indicating they would be more likely to vote for a Member of Congress who supported an increase in the debt ceiling with significant spending cuts in place. This is also the case for 54% of self-identified conservatives and Tea Party supporters.
- The American electorate is fairly divided on the question of the necessity of raising the debt ceiling, with forty-eight percent (48%) indicating they believe it has to be raised, and forty-two percent (42%) indicating they believe it does not have to be raised. Intensity is even on both sides of this equation, with 32% indicating they strongly believe it must be raised and 34% indicating they strongly believe it does not have to be raised.
- Across the board, male voters are more likely to believe that the debt ceiling must be raised than women voters. The gap between men and women stands at five points among Independents, eight points among Republicans and 14 points among Democrats.
- A majority of Republicans (54%) and a plurality of Independents (44%) indicate that they are opposed to any option for raising the debt ceiling. Hispanic/Latino voters are also crystallized against any construct to raise the debt ceiling, with fully 52% of Hispanic/Latino voters indicating they are opposed to any form of increase in the debt ceiling.
- Fully two-thirds of the electorate, sixty-six percent (66%) indicate they believe that small businesses and average Americans would be most impacted if Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling and defaulted on loans to other countries. Only 21% believe that Wall Street and big business would be most affected.
This survey was fielded June 5-8 and the results noted above are from 804 registered “likely” voters across the country.
To view full results from this poll, click here
To view infographic visualizing poll results, click here
Public Notice is an independent, nonpartisan, non-profit, 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to providing facts and insight on the effects public policy has on Americans’ financial well being.
To interview Gretchen Hamel on the poll findings, please contact
Kate Pomeroy at 571-970-6497 or email press@thepublicnotice.org
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Tags: americans believe, Congress, Debt ceiling, poll