By Tana Ganeva | Sourced from AlterNet
Posted at February 15, 2011
Despite Republicans' best fear-mongering, polls show that most Americans care less about the deficit than they do about things that actually affect them, like jobs. A New York Times/CBS poll released at the end of January found that 43 percent of Americans say job creation is the most important issue facing the nation. While the budget deficit came in third behind health care, only 14 percent of respondents think addressing the deficit should be prioritized over other issues.
Not that what a very large chunk of Americans want is having much impact on the debate. Immediately after President Obama announced a budget proposal filled with outrageous cuts (primarily targeted at the poor) Republicans piled on, accusing the President of not doing enough to curb spending. In one such hissy fit, Speaker John Boehner straight-up admitted that he didn't care if spending cuts cost jobs. ABC News Reports:
Posted at February 15, 2011
Despite Republicans' best fear-mongering, polls show that most Americans care less about the deficit than they do about things that actually affect them, like jobs. A New York Times/CBS poll released at the end of January found that 43 percent of Americans say job creation is the most important issue facing the nation. While the budget deficit came in third behind health care, only 14 percent of respondents think addressing the deficit should be prioritized over other issues.
Not that what a very large chunk of Americans want is having much impact on the debate. Immediately after President Obama announced a budget proposal filled with outrageous cuts (primarily targeted at the poor) Republicans piled on, accusing the President of not doing enough to curb spending. In one such hissy fit, Speaker John Boehner straight-up admitted that he didn't care if spending cuts cost jobs. ABC News Reports:
Boehner also brushed aside any concern over potential job losses resulting from the GOP’s $100 billion cuts, citing the expansion of the federal government over the past two years under Democratic rule.
“Over the last two years since President Obama has taken office, the federal government has added 200,000 new federal jobs and if some of those jobs are lost in this, so be it. We’re broke!” Boehner exclaimed. “It’s time for us to get serious about how we’re spending the nation’s money.”As the Huffington Post points out via Politico, Boehner's statement is based on a wild exaggeration:
... a Washington Post report from last year found that the number of executive-branch civilian workers had increased by only 20,000 since 2002, rising from 2.63 million to 2.65 million.
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