America's Priorities Survey

1. What issue do you think Congress should give the biggest priority to in making decisions about federal spending this year? Select all that apply.

What issue do you think Congress should give the biggest priority to in making decisions about federal spending this year? Select all that apply. Health care issues; We need affordable health care coverage

Education issues; We need to improve schools

End the war in Iraq; We need to bring soldiers home

Focus more on domestic issues, take care of the U.S. first

Immigration issues; We need to improve border security

Reduce government spending/waste, get rid of pork-barrel projects

Homeland security issues; We need protection from terrorism

Don’t know

2. Which one of the following, if any, concerns you the most about how President Bush and the Republican leaders in Congress would deal with domestic spending legislation? Select only one.

Which one of the following, if any, concerns you the most about how President Bush and the Republican leaders in Congress would deal with domestic spending legislation? Select only one. President Bush and Republican leaders will oppose needed funding for the important priorities here at home, after having spent so much of our tax dollars in Iraq

President Bush and Republican leaders will oppose needed funding for the important priorities while expanding tax breaks for the wealthy

President Bush and Republican leaders will oppose needed funding for the important priorities by following a stubborn strategy of vetoes and obstruction, just to get their own way

None of these

Not sure

3. Rate the importance of each of these goals in setting America's spending priorities, with "10" meaning the goal is very important, "1" not as important.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Making the investments we need to ensure a better future for our country and for the next generation of Americans—including in education, economic development, renewable energy and a healthy environment	Rate the importance of each of these goals in setting America's spending priorities, with "10" meaning the goal is very important, "1" not as important. Making the investments we need to ensure a better future for our country and for the next generation of Americans—including in education, economic development, renewable energy and a healthy environment 1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Making sure that we put the real needs of middle-class Americans and average working families ahead of tax breaks for the wealthy that just help the rich get richer	Making sure that we put the real needs of middle-class Americans and average working families ahead of tax breaks for the wealthy that just help the rich get richer 1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Shifting our priorities to focus more on the needs of Americans here at home, instead of pouring billions and billions of dollars into Iraq	Shifting our priorities to focus more on the needs of Americans here at home, instead of pouring billions and billions of dollars into Iraq 1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Making up for years of neglect in maintaining and modernizing our bridges, highways, water systems and other infrastructure to avoid more collapses and failures of basic services that Americans depend on every day	Making up for years of neglect in maintaining and modernizing our bridges, highways, water systems and other infrastructure to avoid more collapses and failures of basic services that Americans depend on every day 1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Putting our country on sound fiscal footing and back toward a balanced budget, while funding our most important priorities by making sure that any spending increases are offset by cuts in other programs or new sources of revenue	Putting our country on sound fiscal footing and back toward a balanced budget, while funding our most important priorities by making sure that any spending increases are offset by cuts in other programs or new sources of revenue 1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

4. Do you agree or disagree with the following spending proposals from Democratic leaders. President Bush says he would veto these proposals.

	Strongly Agree with Democrats	Somewhat Agree with Democrats	Somewhat Agree with President Bush	Strongly Agree with President Bush	Not Sure
Spending $3.7 billion more than President Bush wants to improve and expand medical care for veterans	Do you agree or disagree with the following spending proposals from Democratic leaders. President Bush says he would veto these proposals. Spending $3.7 billion more than President Bush wants to improve and expand medical care for veterans Strongly Agree with Democrats	Somewhat Agree with Democrats	Somewhat Agree with President Bush	Strongly Agree with President Bush	Not Sure
Spending $630 million to improve roads and bridges and create new jobs	Spending $630 million to improve roads and bridges and create new jobs Strongly Agree with Democrats	Somewhat Agree with Democrats	Somewhat Agree with President Bush	Strongly Agree with President Bush	Not Sure
Spending $1 billion more than President Bush wants for research against cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes and other diseases	Spending $1 billion more than President Bush wants for research against cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes and other diseases Strongly Agree with Democrats	Somewhat Agree with Democrats	Somewhat Agree with President Bush	Strongly Agree with President Bush	Not Sure
Spending $200 million more than President Bush wants on community hospitals to extend health care to 9 million uninsured Americans	Spending $200 million more than President Bush wants on community hospitals to extend health care to 9 million uninsured Americans Strongly Agree with Democrats	Somewhat Agree with Democrats	Somewhat Agree with President Bush	Strongly Agree with President Bush	Not Sure
Spending $1.5 billion more than President Bush wants to improve local schools and expand access to Head Start programs	Spending $1.5 billion more than President Bush wants to improve local schools and expand access to Head Start programs Strongly Agree with Democrats	Somewhat Agree with Democrats	Somewhat Agree with President Bush	Strongly Agree with President Bush	Not Sure
Spending $35 billion more than President Bush wants on the S-CHIP program to provide affordable health insurance to 4 million children who are currently uninsured	Spending $35 billion more than President Bush wants on the S-CHIP program to provide affordable health insurance to 4 million children who are currently uninsured Strongly Agree with Democrats	Somewhat Agree with Democrats	Somewhat Agree with President Bush	Strongly Agree with President Bush	Not Sure

5. Which one of the following goals is the most important to you personally when it comes to dealing with the federal budget and government spending? Select only one.

Which one of the following goals is the most important to you personally when it comes to dealing with the federal budget and government spending? Select only one. Having the right spending priorities to meet the needs of our country

Eliminating wasteful, pork-barrel spending

Investing in America, not Iraq

Reducing the budget and moving toward a balanced budget

Holding down taxes on people like me

Not sure

6. On each of the following issues, whom do you trust more — President Bush, the Democrats in Congress, both equally or neither one?

	Trust President Bush more	Trust Democrats in Congress more	Trust both equally	Trust neither	Not Sure
Dealing with the national health care crisis	On each of the following issues, whom do you trust more — President Bush, the Democrats in Congress, both equally or neither one? Dealing with the national health care crisis Trust President Bush more	Trust Democrats in Congress more	Trust both equally	Trust neither	Not Sure
Looking out for the concerns and interests of middle-class Americans	Looking out for the concerns and interests of middle-class Americans Trust President Bush more	Trust Democrats in Congress more	Trust both equally	Trust neither	Not Sure
Promoting economic growth and jobs in our country	Promoting economic growth and jobs in our country Trust President Bush more	Trust Democrats in Congress more	Trust both equally	Trust neither	Not Sure
Dealing with the Iraq War	Dealing with the Iraq War Trust President Bush more	Trust Democrats in Congress more	Trust both equally	Trust neither	Not Sure
Supporting our troops and doing what is right for people in military service	Supporting our troops and doing what is right for people in military service Trust President Bush more	Trust Democrats in Congress more	Trust both equally	Trust neither	Not Sure
Working toward a balanced budget	Working toward a balanced budget Trust President Bush more	Trust Democrats in Congress more	Trust both equally	Trust neither	Not Sure
Holding down taxes on the middle class	Holding down taxes on the middle class Trust President Bush more	Trust Democrats in Congress more	Trust both equally	Trust neither	Not Sure
Having the right spending priorities for the federal budget	Having the right spending priorities for the federal budget Trust President Bush more	Trust Democrats in Congress more	Trust both equally	Trust neither	Not Sure
Strengthening homeland security and protecting America from terrorism	Strengthening homeland security and protecting America from terrorism Trust President Bush more	Trust Democrats in Congress more	Trust both equally	Trust neither	Not Sure
Working to eliminate wasteful, pork-barrel spending	Working to eliminate wasteful, pork-barrel spending Trust President Bush more	Trust Democrats in Congress more	Trust both equally	Trust neither	Not Sure

7. Optional: Tell us about yourself. (All answers are confidential.)

Optional: Tell us about yourself. (All answers are confidential.) Name:
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