Americans are as conflicted about raising the federal debt limit as are members of Congress. While 55 percent of Democrats and half of independents and Republicans support a deal that would raise the limit while cutting the size of government, 37 percent of Republicans, a third of independents and a fifth of Democrats oppose raising the debt limit under any circumstances, a
Washington Post-ABC News poll shows.
The Treasury Department predicts the country will default on its obligations August 2 if the debt limit of $14.3 trillion is not raised. Talks to avert the crisis resumed this week as major credit rating agencies warned that even a default would damage the country’s AAA credit rating.
The poll showed risk for both parties, with a record of 20 percent of Americans saying they do not have faith in either to handle the nation’s biggest problems. The Post reported that is the highest percentage in 30 years of polling.
Overall, Democrats have a nine-point edge on the trust question, but a slim majority of voters agree with congressional Republicans that the debt should be handled through spending cuts not new taxes.
On protecting Medicare, nearly half of the voters trust the president, compared 35 percent siding with the GOP. Seniors, by a 2 to 1 margin, reject the GOP Medicare plan and fewer than half of Republicans polled support their party’s plan to overhaul Medicare, the Post reported.
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