Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Another completely bogus poll on the national debt


Nice article at the LA Times by Michael Hiltzik exposing more hijinks of the Peterson morons this time with their bogus public polling on the fiscal issues. 

Hat tip @DeficitHacks.

What happens when people are asked about the national debt in an objectively structured poll, rather than one designed to ride Pete Peterson's personal hobby horse?
Interestingly, the national debt doesn't rank high as a concern at all. Americans' consistent No. 1 concern is job growth, which means policies that, for the near term at least, require higher federal debt.

When Gallup asked people to rank their concerns in May, 86% listed "creating more jobs" as a top or high priority, tied with "helping the economy grow." Reducing the federal deficit, the closest Gallup came to asking about the debt, ranked seventh of the 12 choices, picked as a top or high priority by 69%.
The "job situation" has been the top economic concern of the American public at least since 2010, according to the Pew Research Center. The budget deficit hasn't ranked higher than second in all that time. The national debt doesn't make the list.


It would be interesting to see the results if instead of the Peterson morons asking: "Reducing the federal deficit?" they would instead ask the mathematical corollary: "Reducing the citizen's savings?" 

2 comments:

paul meli said...

"…means policies that, for the near term at least, require higher federal debt.…"

Since the long term is a series of short terms, it follows that the long term also requires higher federal debt.

Matt Franko said...

Typical 'Deficit Dove' position Paul... the guy is probably trying to be the west coast Krugman... so par for the deficit dove course...

Looks like they (doves) for some purpose have to go thru a drawn out process to "learn" all of this...

As opposed to we who just "know" it...

rsp,