For nine of the programs, a plurality wanted to increase government spending. For the other three programs, a plurality wanted to keep the spending level the same. Two of the programs that most people preferred an increase in spending are the programs that, combined, account for nearly half of the American budget: Medicare (53% want an increase) and defense (40% want an increase). The other programs that a plurality said they would increase spending include education (67%), veterans' benefits (63%), health care (61%), energy (41%), assistance for the unemployed (44%), combating crime (45%), and environmental protection (43%). So, Americans want government spending to be cut, but they don't want any government programs cut -- they actually want funding to increase to many of these programs. (Full Story)
I don't think it's a coincidence that the two programs that had at least 20% say they would cut funding are ones that deal with "foreign" issues. Most of the increases were with domestic programs. I think a lot of people feel like we don't need to be spending our money on foreign interests (unless it's defense) -- even though it's not simply "foreign interests"; these global issues affect everyone. And where's the sense of moral obligation to help people out?
But I can't say I was surprised that the program that most people wanted to cut spending on was foreign aid (economic assistance to needy people around the world). It's been a long-held belief in this country that the US spends way more on foreign aid than they actually do. When people are asked how much of the US budget goes to foreign aid, people greatly overestimate. A 2005 Washington Post survey asked Americans what were the two largest areas of spending by the federal government and 49% said foreign aid was one of those programs. A 2002 survey by the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations asked Americans what percentage of the federal budget is spent on foreign aid. The median answer was 25% and the average was 31%. In actuality, less than 1% of the federal budget goes to foreign aid. In fact, in 2007 "international affairs" made up 1.2% of the federal budget. International affairs includes both foreign aid as well as money for the operation and administration of embassies and consulates and various State Department programs. So, the two programs that would be cut by the American people (according to the Pew survey) only account for about 1.2% of the federal budget. And of that 1.2% for international affairs, only about 38% of that goes to foreign aid (for development, humanitarian aid, emergency food aid). That means only 0.44% of the budget goes to foreign aid. Furthermore, in 2007 only 0.16% of our Gross National Income went to foreign aid. Interestingly, that Chicago Council of Foreign Relations survey found that Americans thought the "appropriate amount" of the federal budget that should go to foreign aid is 10% (the median). If that amount was followed, we'd be giving more than twenty times the amount we currently give in foreign aid.
first: i heart you heather.
ReplyDeletesecond: discussions of the US budget are so over my head because the numbers involved are enormous. i hear "billions" and i just can't picture it. your country is so big and has too much money. i like your use of percentages- that i can follow. i found this really interesting and informative. see point one.
third, and unrelated: it is quite common to hear people in Canada complain about paying their taxes and in the same conversation complain about health care and the time they have to wait to have surgery (which i'm not convinced would be any faster in another country. you just don't have non-threatening injuries/issues operated on immediately anywhere. unless you are a very-important-person). regardless, it makes me irate. if you can't see that these issues are connected, you're an idiot. voting for harper and his conservative monkeys is not going to help because he is cutting funds. unless you want to pay for that surgery, but something tells me they'll complain about that too.....
i guess a lot of this speaks to previous conversations we have had about making connections and critical thinking.
I'm really glad you liked the post!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how often people want something, but don't realize the costs behind it. They want good programs, but complain about taxes. They just want these programs to magically be available to them. There's a big disconnect for a lot of people. Just like this past summer, when groups were protesting against health care reform. And you saw, on numerous occasions, people with signs saying things like "Keep the government's hands off my Medicare!" Medicare IS government-run...which is exactly the kind of health care they're complaining about (but they love their Medicare, don't you dare touch that!). So they're against the idea of government-run insurance, but then they enjoy the benefits of government-run insurance, and yet they don't seem to understand it is government-run. Total disconnect.
Oh yeah and I also put the percentages instead of raw numbers both because it's easier to comprehend and also because it paints a clearer picture. The U.S. does have a really huge budget. And 1.2% of the budget is still like $38 billion dollars. So if I were to say the U.S. spends $38 billion on "international affairs", people would think "Wow that is a huge amount dedicated to international affairs. That's obviously an important issue." Because $38 billion is an amazingly large sum of money to us pions. But, you get a greater sense of how much of a priority it actually is when you realize it's just 1.2% of the budget.
ReplyDeleteprecisely! if you had talked raw numbers, that is exactly the reaction i would have had. it's a little unfair when news reports discuss just the numbers without any context, and that's what i liked about your discussion; it offered some clarity to complex issues.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDelete