Poll Reveals: Americans Are Still In Deep Denial About The Deficit

04-21-2011 • BusinessInsider.com/

mericans are supposedly getting serious about the country's horrendous financial situation. Thus, the support for the "Tea Party," as well as Paul Ryan and Barack Obama's plans to cut the deficit. Except that getting serious about the debt-and-deficit problem and actually being willing to do something about it are two different things. And Americans have no intention of doing anything about it. How do we know that? Because Americans still believe they can have everything they have now--all the spending--without increasing taxes on anyone but the rich. Here's the bottom line in a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll: Despite growing concerns about the country’s long-term fiscal problems and an intensifying debate in Washington about how to deal with them, Americans strongly oppose some of the major remedies under consideration, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. The survey finds that Americans prefer to keep Medicare just the way it is. Most also oppose cuts in Medicaid and the defense budget. More than half say they are against small, across-the-board tax increases combined with modest reductions in Medicare and Social Security benefits. Only President Obama’s call to raise tax rates on the wealthiest Americans enjoys solid support. Keep Medicare the way it is, and don't cut Medicaid or the Defense budget. Don't mean to be rude, but that's just not going to cut it (even if taxes are raised on the rich).