1. The 2005 Political Typology: Beyond Red vs. Blue
A similar pattern is seen with regard to opinions about ways to reduce the budget deficit. A majority of the public (54%) supports cutting domestic spending to reduce the deficit; about a third each favor cuts in military spending (35%) or raising taxes (31%). At one extreme, 81% of Enterprisers favor cutting spending on domestic programs to reduce the deficit. They are joined in that view by 60% or more among Social Conservatives and Upbeats. Disadvantaged Democrats are the most reluctant to cut domestic spending, with only 29% in favor. Still, nearly half (48%) of Liberals, as well as the same proportion of Conservative Democrats, also support cuts in domestic spending to reduce the deficit. Where the Liberals differ most from other groups on budget issues is in their willingness to cut defense and military spending to reduce the deficit (65% favor such cuts). By contrast, among all other groups, support for military and defense cuts ranges from a low of 16% among Enterprisers and Social Conservatives to 41% among Disadvantaged Democrats.
Support for Proposals to Reduce the Deficit
Total
Cut Cut military/ Raise domestic defense taxes spending spending % % % 54 35 31
Enterprisers Social Conservatives Pro-Gov’t Conservatives
81 63 53
16 16 19
12 27 32
Upbeats Disaffecteds
61 44
31 33
34 19
Conservative Democrats 48 29 25 In addition, a far higher percentage Disadvantaged Democrats 29 41 23 of Liberals than those in other groups Liberals 48 65 56 would raise taxes to reduce the deficit. Percent within each group that would favor each as a means of reducing the federal budget deficit. More than half of Liberals (56%) support raising taxes to meet the goal of deficit reduction – no more than about a third in any other group agree (Upbeats 34%). At the low end, just 12% of Enterprisers favor raising taxes for this purpose.
Bankruptcy, Malpractice Awards On issues affecting the courts, the surveys also find divisions cutting across partisan lines. For example, bankruptcy laws allowing individuals deeply in debt to seek protection from their creditors realign several normally Republican or Republican-leaning groups with predominantly Democratic groups.
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