This is a question that can be posed about US politics almost all the time. For years, the people at large in the US have had their heads screwed on straight about any number of subjects. Far more then the knuckleheads in Washington. A case in point is gun control. Check these numbers out.
So it's no surprise that the people--and this is a government of, by, and for the people, remember--are far, far ahead of our numbskull politicians who are about to submerse the country in an economic disaster of unfathomable proportions. According to a recent web article on First Read from NBC, here's a report on what the people favor doing about this (artificially manufactured) debt crisis. Although I certainly don't agree with people on a number of these things, it's very interesting that our citizenry doesn't have any problem tapping wealthy beneficiaries of the American system for more cash to help keep that system running. But under the political madness we operate under today, that idea is almost heresy.
-- Placing a surtax on federal income taxes for people earning over $1 million a year: 81% acceptable
-- Eliminating spending on so-called earmarks for special projects and specific areas of the country:78% acceptable
-- Eliminating funding for weapons systems the Defense Department says are not necessary: 76%acceptable
-- Eliminating tax credits for the oil and gas industries: 74% acceptable
-- Phasing out the Bush tax cuts for families earning $250,000 or more per year: 68% acceptable
-- Freezing annual domestic spending at its current level for the next five years: 67% acceptable
-- Reducing Medicare and Social Security benefits for wealthier retirees: 62% acceptable
-- Gradually raising the Social Security retirement age to 69 by 2075: 56% acceptable
-- Cutting funding for the new health-care law so that parts of it will not be put into effect or enforced:51% acceptable
-- Reducing agriculture subsidies or support to farmers and ranchers: 45% acceptable
-- Eliminating funding to Planned Parenthood for family planning and preventive health services:45% acceptable
-- Gradually turning Medicare from a system in which the government pays for most beneficiaries' medical bills into a program in which seniors would receive government-assisted vouchers to purchase private insurance: 44% acceptable
-- Eliminating spending on so-called earmarks for special projects and specific areas of the country:78% acceptable
-- Eliminating funding for weapons systems the Defense Department says are not necessary: 76%acceptable
-- Eliminating tax credits for the oil and gas industries: 74% acceptable
-- Phasing out the Bush tax cuts for families earning $250,000 or more per year: 68% acceptable
-- Freezing annual domestic spending at its current level for the next five years: 67% acceptable
-- Reducing Medicare and Social Security benefits for wealthier retirees: 62% acceptable
-- Gradually raising the Social Security retirement age to 69 by 2075: 56% acceptable
-- Cutting funding for the new health-care law so that parts of it will not be put into effect or enforced:51% acceptable
-- Reducing agriculture subsidies or support to farmers and ranchers: 45% acceptable
-- Eliminating funding to Planned Parenthood for family planning and preventive health services:45% acceptable
-- Gradually turning Medicare from a system in which the government pays for most beneficiaries' medical bills into a program in which seniors would receive government-assisted vouchers to purchase private insurance: 44% acceptable
Among the budget cuts:
Subsidies to build new nuclear power plants: 57% acceptable
Federal assistance to state governments: 52% acceptable
The Environmental Protection Agency: 51%
Transportation and infrastructure projects: 51%
Scientific and medical research: 48%
National defense: 46%
Unemployment insurance: 43%
Head Start: 41%
College student loans: 39%
Heating assistance to low-income families: 34%
Medicaid: 32%
Medicare: 23%
K-12 education: 22%
Social Security: 22%
Interesting, no?Federal assistance to state governments: 52% acceptable
The Environmental Protection Agency: 51%
Transportation and infrastructure projects: 51%
Scientific and medical research: 48%
National defense: 46%
Unemployment insurance: 43%
Head Start: 41%
College student loans: 39%
Heating assistance to low-income families: 34%
Medicaid: 32%
Medicare: 23%
K-12 education: 22%
Social Security: 22%
1 comment:
I am exhausted...
I really do not want to test the waters of further recession or worse in order that the rest of us wise up.
People say get the debt-ceiling done and move on to bigger matters. #Well, if we can't do the small stuff, we probably can't do anything bigger.
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