Little support for cutting entitlements

Less than a quarter of Americans want to cut Social Security or Medicare, according to a new WSJ/NBC News survey. Even Tea Partiers were strongly against tampering with the government's retirement programs. This only confirms public attitudes about the deficit: Yes, it's too big, but just don't touch the stuff we care about." From the WSJ:

House Republicans want to make entitlement reductions a key part of their next budget, while several likely 2012 GOP candidates vow to propose ways to shore up the finances of Social Security and Medicare as part of any campaign. But Republican Bill McInturff and Democrat Peter Hart, the pollsters who conducted the survey, said it raised warning signs for anyone proposing cuts to those programs, which provide retirement benefits to seniors and help pay for their health-care, and to Medicaid, a health plan for the poor. The costs of those programs, which already make up 43% of federal spending, are expected to balloon in coming years. Mr. McInturff called the poll "a huge flashing yellow sign for Republicans on how much preparation will be needed if they propose to change Social Security and Medicare."