Poll: Most Americans Support Defense Cuts

U.S. sailors look on as the American flag is lowered on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washingtion before departing Hong Kong, July 15, 2012. The George Washington and embarked Carrier Air Wing 5 provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of the U.S., and its allies and partners, in the Asia-Pacific region. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Apprentice Spencer Rhoades

Survey: Most Americans Support Defense Cuts -- Military Times

A new survey shows a large majority of Americans support cutting defense spending, including military personnel costs.

While they don’t support cutting military pay raises, they do want to raise Tricare and pharmacy fees, slow down growth in tax-exempt allowances, and cut military retirement benefits, according to a survey of 665 adults conducted by the Program for Public Consultation, the Center for Public Integrity and the Stimson Center.

Overall, 76 percent of those surveyed — 90 percent of those in Democratic congressional districts and 67 percent of those in Republican congressional districts — believe the defense budget should be cut, with those in Republican districts proposing an average 15 percent reduction and those in Democratic districts proposing an average 28 percent cut, said Steven Kull of the Program for Public Consultation.

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Update #1: Survey: Majority of Voters Favor Defense Cuts -- US News and World Report
Update #2: Americans want defense cuts, but differ on what to scale back -- Defense Systems
Update #3: Voters want to cut defense spending — even when it benefits their districts -- Washington Post

WNU Editor: The Program for Public Consultation website is here.