Despite a $14 trillion national debt and $1 trillion budget deficits, most Americans are reluctant to cut federal spending in any meaningful way. In fact, according to a new Gallup poll, the only area of the budget in which a majority of Americans support spending cuts is foreign aid. At least 52% of Americans oppose spending cuts in the arts and sciences, farm aid, Homeland Security, the military, anti-poverty programs, Medicare, Social Security, and education.
Broken down along partisan lines, the only two areas of the federal budget a majority of Republicans and those who lean Republican advocate cutting are foreign aid and the arts & sciences. On the other side of the aisle, the only two areas of the federal budget a majority of Democrats and those who lean Democrat advocate cutting are foreign aid and the military.
If these poll numbers truly reflect public sentiment, then it appears that the United States will be swimming in a pool of debt for years and years to come. And if this is the case, then it will likely require a full-fledged debt crisis for our nation to change its fiscal course.
