Super Committee

CNN Poll: What The Super Committee Produced Is....Exactly What We Don't Want

Kyle Leighton | November 21, 2011, 12:33PM

New data from a CNN/ORC poll shows that since the Super Committee seems headed for failure, the resulting budget "haircut" will produce precisely the cuts the American public least desires.

Both parties in Congress are viewed as part of the problem -- Americans disapprove of the job Republicans are doing at a 77 percent clip, and 68 percent think Democrats are doing a lousy job as well. But when it comes to specific policy proposals, it's fairly one sided. Support for higher taxes on businesses and high income individuals is the highest rated idea with two thirds of Americans for it, second is cuts to domestic programs at 60 percent.

One of the least popular options are actually what's slated to happen if the Super Committee doesn't reach an accord -- support for cuts to defense hovers around forty percent. So does "major changes" to the Medicare systems and Social Security. The current plan should the Super Committee fail is a two percent cut to Medicare providers, cuts to defense and to other domestic programs. Of course, leaders can still reach another deal before those cuts become reality in 2013, but they'll have to overcome a filibuster vote.

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Polls

Poll: Public Opinion Turning Against Occupy Wall Street

Eric Kleefeld | November 16, 2011, 11:02AM

A new national survey from Public Policy Polling (D) finds public opinion souring pretty quickly on the Occupy Wall Street movement.

The poll asked: "Do you support or oppose the goals of the
Occupy Wall Street movement?" The result was only 33% support, to 45% opposed.

In the previous poll from a month ago, when the protests were fairly new and public opinion had not yet had the chance to set in, the result was a very close 35% support, to 36% opposed.

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Health Care

Poll: Majority Now Support The Individual Mandate

Eric Kleefeld | November 14, 2011, 11:16AM

Image From Lenetstan / Shutterstock

A new CNN poll on the issue of health care reform finds that support for the law's central and most controversial element, the individual health insurance mandate, has climbed into majority territory.

In the new poll, support for the individual mandate -- requiring people to get health insurance -- has climbed to 52%, with 47% opposed. When the last survey was taken in June, that a majority of 54% opposed it, with 44% in support.

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2011 Elections

Poll: Ohio Set To Vote Big Against Kasich's Anti-Union Law

Eric Kleefeld | November 6, 2011, 10:38PM

Gov. John Kasich (R-OH)

A new survey from Public Policy Polling (D) shows Ohio Democrats and public employee unions likely to win a big victory on Tuesday in the referendum on Republican Gov. John Kasich's anti-public union bill, SB-5.

The poll shows only 36% of Ohioans will vote to support the law, while a decisive 59% oppose the bill and will vote to repeal it.

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Super Committee

Not-So-Super Committee? Poll Finds Little Confidence A Deal Will Be Reached

Kyle Leighton | November 3, 2011, 9:30AM

Only a quarter of Americans think that the Super Committee tasked with coming up with a deficit reduction plan for the federal budget will reach a deal, a new Quinnipiac poll shows. 67 percent say that no deal will be reached, which would trigger cuts in the Defense Department and to entitlement programs.

The poll also shows that Americans have less appetite for tax increases as part of the package, which runs counter to a number of findings from the summer. When asked, "From what you know so far, do you think the deficit-reduction proposal should include some increases in tax revenue or should it include only cuts in government spending?" only 39 percent were in favor of any tax increases to offset the debt, while a near majority of 48 percent said that only spending cuts were needed. Independent voters closely mirrored that split.

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