Do Americans want their cake and eat it too?Poll: Balance the budget? Yes and no
An MSN-Zogby poll says most Americans want the next president to make the government live within its means. But they don't support cuts in programs and aren't willing to pay more taxes.
By Bradley Meacham
The vast majority of Americans want the next president to balance the government's books, yet they oppose cuts in the costliest federal programs...
Most Americans oppose cuts in major government programs, but 50% also said they wouldn't vote for a candidate who proposed higher taxes to balance the budget. Only 35% said they would be willing to pay more taxes to maintain the current level of spending....
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, rising costs for entitlements such as Social Security and health care could eventually result in ballooning deficits and swamp all other programs.
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