Poll: Public would blame GOP for budget impasse, wants tax increases

It’s a good thing some get paid well to present these useless numbers while others are shopping around for the best cat food prices in town.

Poll Analysis: What the public wants doesn’t matter, because both parties are in agreement on several key points.

- That in a little over four weeks, the country is facing an economic/fiscal disaster of unprecedented proportions. This is why they’ve agreed on the language ‘fiscal cliff’ because it conveys a sense of urgency and imminent extreme danger. It doesn’t matter it’s actually just a slope, reversible at any time after the new Congress goes into session, and most people would only see a few dollars difference in their paychecks.

- That despite the fact the deficit is due almost entirely to (1) the current Depression, which would be made worse by austerity measures, (2) two wars and a bloated military budget, none of which has been subject to the PayGo rules, (3) the tail end of the anemic stimulus measures which did probably stave off a complete Great Depression collapse (these measures are the smallest component…and sadly were the only truly necessary expenditure), (4) the unfunded Medicare-D giveaway to for-profit corps, costing the taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars because there’s no negotiation and Medicare Advantage private insurance co-rider has been a money pit in terms of subsidies, and (5) the Bush tax cuts, which also were never paid for, both Democrats and Republicans are trying to throw the still-solvent Social Security and Medicare programs onto the table for cutting — or as they call them, ‘reforms’. This, even though there would be almost ZERO impact in the short term on deficits, which they claim is the reason they have to deal with this right effin’ now.

- That lifting or removing the federal payroll income tax cap is a non-starter, but progressive Dems in the House are allowed to talk about it as if it’s a serious proposal. Just like public-option health insurance was for PPACA. Same thing with respect to taxing capital gains at normal income rates and removing the carried interest exemption, both of which would raise billions in revenues. As for the oft mentioned ‘financial transactions tax’ cited by the wonk savants, which would put a fraction of a penny’s tax on stock market and investment trades? Not a chance.

- Genuine defense budget cuts are treated as if they’re inconceivable, and that even a 5-10% cut in a budget that has doubled in inflation-adjusted dollars over the last decade will somehow make the U.S. less safe. Even though our military budget is larger than the rest of the 1st world nations’ budgets combined.

I’m actually hoping for continued gridlock right through the end of the year. No bargains. Let everything expire. But again, I keep saying this: Polls don’t matter. If they did, PPACA would have a public option and there’d even be full Medicare eligibility for people 55 and older. Both of these polled extremely high. And very few wanted a health insurance mandate coupled with a requirement to buy insurance from a private for-profit company — but that’s what we got because money talks and BigMed has piles of it.

Anyway, I’m part of the public which would indeed blame the GOP for the budget impasse, with their loyalty oaths to Grover Norquist and not to the United States of America. I blame them also for essentially refusing to govern, blocking the passage of routine bills needed to keep the country running and abusing the filibuster and House rules. But for once, I’d rather gridlock than what both parties consider necessary progress.

John, I realize that you can’t reproduce the entire poll report in your post due to space limitations — I hope the readers here take a look at it. There are some really fascinating things here. For example:
16% never heard of John Boehner (27% age 18 – 34)
24% never heard of Harry Reid (39% age 18 – 34)
72% think Obama should compromise to get things done
72% think Republicans in Congress should compromise to get things done
67% think elected officials in Washington will act like spoiled children in dealing with the Fiscal Cliff