This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.
Lawmakers should not forget the nearly $20 trillion national debt as they craft policies on big-ticket items like overhauling the tax system or making changes to the health-care system, according to recent polling commissioned by an anti-deficit group.
The data appears to run somewhat counter to conventional political wisdom in Washington now, where Republicans debate whether big tax changes should be revenue-neutral or not and Democrats say the one issue they might agree on with the White House would be increased spending on transportation projects.
But in polling commissioned by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, broad majorities of registered voters said they expected those kinds of issues to have an impact on the national debt and that it was important the issues be addressed “to make progress on the debt.”
The survey asked voters about their feelings on overhauling the health-care and tax systems, immigration, infrastructure, national security and jobs and the economy and how those policies might interact with the national debt. Eighty-seven percent of respondents said policies to provide jobs and boost the economy would either have a major or some impact on the debt, the highest of any of the issues polled. Immigration polled as having the lowest expected impact, but still saw 70 percent of respondents saying it would have a major effect or some impact.
Ninety-one percent of poll respondents said jobs and economic growth policies should be addressed with an eye toward their impact on the debt, with 69 percent saying it was “very important.” The overall number for health care was almost as high, with 87 percent saying addressing it to make progress on the debt was very or somewhat important. On revamping the tax system, the number was only slightly lower, at 86 percent.
“These results make clear that voters across party lines make a strong connection between the national debt and the legislative agenda,” said Peterson Foundation President and CEO Michael Peterson in a statement. “As the President and Congress debate key issues like tax reform, healthcare and infrastructure spending, they stand a much stronger chance of receiving broad public support if their proposals make progress on the debt.”
Infrastructure and immigration were the issues voters were least concerned with addressing in a way that also made progress on the debt, with 83 percent and 72 percent, respectively, who felt that was important.
There was generally little party or demographic variation among polled groups within the 1,004-person sample. The biggest party difference was seen on immigration. While 54 percent of Republicans polled said it was “very important” it be dealt with in a way that made progress on the debt, that feeling was shared by only 36 percent of Democrats polled.
The survey of registered voters was conducted from March 20-23 by Global Strategy Group and North Star Opinion Research by phone, with 37 percent of respondents using cell phones and the rest landlines. The margin of error was 3.1 percentage points.
To contact the reporter on this story: Jonathan Nicholson in Washington at jnicholson@bna.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Paul Hendrie at pHendrie@bna.com
Copyright © 2017 The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
All Bloomberg BNA treatises are available on standing order, which ensures you will always receive the most current edition of the book or supplement of the title you have ordered from Bloomberg BNA’s book division. As soon as a new supplement or edition is published (usually annually) for a title you’ve previously purchased and requested to be placed on standing order, we’ll ship it to you to review for 30 days without any obligation. During this period, you can either (a) honor the invoice and receive a 5% discount (in addition to any other discounts you may qualify for) off the then-current price of the update, plus shipping and handling or (b) return the book(s), in which case, your invoice will be cancelled upon receipt of the book(s). Call us for a prepaid UPS label for your return. It’s as simple and easy as that. Most importantly, standing orders mean you will never have to worry about the timeliness of the information you’re relying on. And, you may discontinue standing orders at any time by contacting us at 1.800.960.1220 or by sending an email to books@bna.com.
Put me on standing order at a 5% discount off list price of all future updates, in addition to any other discounts I may quality for. (Returnable within 30 days.)
Notify me when updates are available (No standing order will be created).
This Bloomberg BNA report is available on standing order, which ensures you will all receive the latest edition. This report is updated annually and we will send you the latest edition once it has been published. By signing up for standing order you will never have to worry about the timeliness of the information you need. And, you may discontinue standing orders at any time by contacting us at 1.800.372.1033, option 5, or by sending us an email to research@bna.com.
Put me on standing order
Notify me when new releases are available (no standing order will be created)