This was originally posted on Activote.net

In November 2025, AllSides and ActiVote collaborated on a survey on the federal debt with 14 questions, each with 5 possible answers. The poll was processed using ActiVote’s standard polling methodology. The average sample size was 497 per question (ranging from a minimum of 469 to a maximum of 560) leading to an expected polling error of about 4.4%. We invite you to participate in this survey if you have not already.

The survey consisted of three parts: (1) The federal debt, (2) Taxes, (3) Spending. For each of these we will first list the main findings, before presenting the details per individual question.

The Federal Debt

A significant overall majority worries about the federal debt and majorities of both the left and the right wish to address it, while the right wants to act more strongly (e.g: passing a balanced budget constitutional amendment). Where the left and right have significant disagreements is how to address it: a large majority of the left wants to mostly increase taxes, while a large majority of the right wants to decrease spending. There is some agreement among the left and right that when new policies are introduced they should not increase the deficit and preferably reduce the deficit. Similarly, most groups (except the left) agree that the debt ceiling should not be abolished as a tool that can be used to control the federal debt.

Taxes

All questions on taxes showed the same pattern: the left wishes to raise taxes, while the right wishes to lower them. On ordinary income tax rates: the left wishes to raise ordinary income tax rates for the rich, while the right wishes to lower the maximum marginal tax rate. Similarly, the left wishes to increase corporate tax rates, while the right wishes to lower it. For capital gains tax we see the same: the left wishes to increase rates, while the right wishes to lower them. Wealth taxes are highly popular with the left, while deemed unconstitutional by the right.

Spending

A majority would like to propose spending cuts through a bipartisan panel, although this proposal is more popular on the left than the right, where the prevailing opinion was to reform entitlement programs or simply reduce budgets for all agencies by a fixed percentage each year. A majority would like to reduce military spending by eliminating waste, with the exception of the left who simply wishes to reduce the military budget. Regarding Social Security, a clear overall majority would like to eliminate the earnings cap (thus having higher incomes pay more into the program), while the right favors privatizing Social Security. There is little appetite to cut into Medicare, except for some on the right. The differences on Medicaid are more outspoken: the left is highly supportive, while the right wishes to cut or eliminate the program as a whole.

In summary, we all believe there is a problem with the federal debt, but we strongly disagree about how to solve it, where the typical simple explanation that the left wishes to tax more and the right wishes to spend less, is confirmed by our poll. While there is a slim majority support for some actions (e.g: a small majority believes that the Social Security cap should be lifted), for none of the actions is their majority support among both parties and rarely 60% overall support. Thus, it is unlikely that anything can be passed with bipartisan support and overcome a filibuster in the senate.

So, we are all worried about the federal debt, but we don’t agree about ways to attack the problem, which makes it unlikely that Congress will do something about it.

In the next 14 sections we present the summary results per individual question.

Federal Debt

The survey (answered by 560 people) asked: “Which of these statements best reflects your opinion on our Federal debt?” and provided 5 answers:

• We should pass a balanced budget amendment to force the Federal Government to stop running deficits at any time.
• We should ensure that the Federal Government cannot increase the debt/GDP ratio, except in rare cases, such as war and national emergencies.
• The Federal Government should ensure that the debt/GDP ratio goes down during prosperous times, while it should be allowed to increase during recessions.
• A slowly growing debt/GDP ratio is not an immediate problem at this time.
• We don’t need to worry about our debt/GDP ratio.

Half the population feels that we should have a balanced budget amendment, while another 20% believes we should only rarely increase debt/GDP ratio. Another 26% believe that it should be dependent on whether times are good or bad. Very few people (5%) believe that a growing debt/GDP ratio is not a problem.

The left is open to let the debt/GDP ratio fluctuate with the times (50%), while the right wishes to pass a balanced budget amendment (78%)

Balance of Taxes & Spending Cuts

The survey (answered by 547 people) asked: “Which of these statements best reflects your opinion on how to reduce the deficit?” and provided 5 answers:

• Rely mostly on tax increases.
• Use a mix tilted toward tax increases.
• Use an even balance of tax increases and spending cuts.
• Use a mix tilted toward spending cuts.
• Rely mostly on spending cuts.

About 1 in 3 Americans (34%) believes that we should solve our budget problem more through tax increases than through spending cuts, while 42% believes that it should be mostly spending cuts. 1 in 4 Americans (24%) believe that it should be an even balance between spending cuts and tax increases. 

The left in large majority (87%) wishes to solve the problem mostly through tax increases, while the right in an even larger majority (93%) believes that it should be mostly resolved through spending cuts.

Long-Term Deficit Reform

The survey (answered by 519 people) asked: “Which of these statements best reflects your views on how to reduce future deficits?” and provided 5 answers:

• Prioritize growth and investment over deficit reduction.
• Require new spending or tax cuts to be offset (PAYGO)
• Require new policies to reduce the deficit overall (“Super PAYGO”).
• Cap spending or trigger automatic cuts to balance budgets.
• Enact a constitutional balanced-budget requirement.

A plurality likes a balanced budget amendment as the best way to address long-term deficit reform, while another 1 in 3 (32%) favors “Super PAYGO”, meaning that any new policies must improve the deficit overall.

The left is in favor of growing our economy out of deficits (32%) or having new policies be just balanced (17%). On the right a majority believes that a balanced budget amendment will be necessary.

Debt Ceiling

The survey (answered by 510 people) asked: “Which of the following statements best reflects your opinion on the debt ceiling?” and provided 5 possible answers:

• The debt ceiling should be abolished.
• The debt ceiling should remain, but without the possibility to create government shutdowns.
• The current process of political negotiations in order to raise the debt ceiling should remain as is.
• The debt ceiling should be strengthened as a tool to curb government borrowing.
• The debt ceiling should remain and not raise above current levels.

Half the population believes that the Debt Ceiling should be strengthened as a tool to force spending reductions. Only 35% believe that we should abolish the debt ceiling or at least make shutdowns impossible.

More than 3 in 4 on the left would like to get rid of shutdowns, while 87% of the right would like to strengthen the debt ceiling as a legislative tool. 

Ordinary income tax rate 

The survey (answered by 497 people) asked: “Which of the following statements best reflects your opinion on the highest marginal tax rate?” and provided 5 possible answers:

• The current highest marginal tax rate of 37% should be further reduced.
• The current highest marginal tax rate of 37% is about right.
• The highest marginal tax rate should be raised to about 45% for the top 1%.
• The highest marginal tax rate should be raised to 70% on incomes over $10M.
• The highest marginal tax rate should be raised to 90% or more as it was during the World War II period.

A small minority of 51% would like to see higher maximum marginal tax rates on the rich, while 48% would like to either keep the maximum marginal tax rate of 37% or reduce it further.

Taxing the rich is a unanimous desire (99%) on the left, while keeping the current maximum tax rate or further reducing it, is supported by 94% on the right. 

Corporate tax rate 

The survey (answered by 493 people) asked: “Which of the following statements best reflects your opinion on the corporate tax rate?” and provided 5 possible answers:

• The U.S. should cut the corporate tax rate even further to 15%.
• The current corporate tax rate of 21% is at the correct level.
• The reduction of our corporate tax rate to 21% should have been accompanied with an increase of the capital gains tax rate.
• The U.S. should be in the same range as other OECD countries, therefore a corporate tax rate of 24% is appropriate.
• The U.S. should raise its corporate tax rate back to 35%.

A majority of 57% believes that the current corporate tax rate of 21% is too low, while 37% which too keep it, or further reduce it.

The left is almost unanimous (91%) in that they wish to increase the corporate tax rate, while the right in large majority (85%) wishes to keep or reduce the current corporate tax rate.

Capital Gains vs. Ordinary Income Tax 

The survey (answered by 490 people) asked: “Which of the following statements best reflects your opinion on income tax rates?” and provided 5 possible answers:

• Tax rates for lower incomes should be increased and for higher incomes reduced.
• All Federal Income Tax Rates should be reduced.
• Income Tax Rates should be kept approximately the same as they are today.
• Tax rates for higher income brackets should be increased.
• Capital gains for higher incomes should be taxed at the same rates as ordinary income.

A small majority of 53% would like to increase taxes, especially on those with higher incomes, while 42% would like to reduce all federal income tax rates.

The left is unanimous (99%) in that they would like to increase tax rates for the rich. The right is nearly unanimous (93%) in wishing to reduce tax rates for either all tax payers or the rich in particular.

Wealth Tax

The survey (answered by 483 people) asked: “Which of the following statements best reflects your opinion on a wealth tax?” and provided 5 possible answers:

• A wealth tax is unconstitutional.
• The U.S. should not implement a wealth tax.
• A wealth tax of 1% should be implemented on all wealth over $1 billion.
• A wealth tax of 2% of all wealth over $50M should be put in place.
• A progressive wealth tax should be put in place that taxes at least 2% over $50M and a higher tax rate on billionaires.

A majority of 60% is in favor of a wealth tax, with most of them preferring a progressive wealth tax, while 40% do not want it, or believe that it is unconstitutional.

The left almost unanimously (98%) favors a wealth tax, while the right in a very large majority (88%) does not want, or believes it is unconstitutional.

Spending Cuts and the Federal Budget 

The survey (answered by 468 people) asked: “Which of the following statements best reflects your opinion on how the government should approach spending cuts?” and provided 5 possible answers:

• Limited cuts only.
• Create a bipartisan panel to propose targeted cuts.
• Freeze spending and replace programs one-for-one.
• Reforming major entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security.
• Cut all agency budgets by a fixed percentage each year.

A small majority (51%) favors a bipartisan panel that proposes targeted cuts in the budget. About 1 in 3 wishes to reform major entitlement programs or simply cut agency budgets by a fixed percentage each year. 

The left, moderate left and center all favor a bipartisan solution. This is also the plurality opinion on the moderate right. Those on the right wish to take more rigorous action by enacting entitlement reform or cutting all agencies by a fixed percentage each year.

US Military spending 

The survey (answered by 481 people) asked: “Which of the following statements best reflects your opinion on US military spending?” and provided 5 possible answers:

• Military spending needs to grow as a percentage of our overall annual budget.
• Military spending is currently at about the right level as a percentage of our overall annual budget.
• The U.S. military strength needs to be maintained, but we should be able to reduce our annual cost by eliminating waste and inefficiencies.
• The U.S. should reduce military spending step-by-step, focusing more on diplomatic efforts, and maintaining our role as leader of the free world.
• The U.S. should drastically reduce our military spending.

While 29% would like to reduce military spending, a majority wishes to reduce costs only by eliminating waste. Only 1 in 10 wishes to grow the military budget.

Those on the left would like to reduce military spending. All others prefer to reduce spending by eliminating waste.

Funding Social Security

The survey (answered by 476 people) asked: “Which of the following statements best reflects your opinion on fixing Social Security funding?” and provided 5 possible answers:

• Eliminate the taxation earnings cap of $128,000 so that more tax is generated.
• Gradually reduce the benefits paid to wealthier seniors.
• Gradually increase the eligibility age for all recipients.
• Gradually reduce the benefits paid to all recipients.
• Privatize social security so that everyone can individually save for retirement.

A significant majority of 58% believe that the earnings cap on social security contributions should be eliminated. Privatizing social security is the preferred method for just over 1 in 4 Americans (27%).

A very large majority of 89% on the left would like to eliminate the earnings cap, while a majority on the right would like to privatize social security.

Medicare

The survey (answered by 471 people) asked: “Which of the following statements best reflects your opinion on the future of Medicare?” and provided 5 possible answers:

• Expand Medicare coverage and benefits.
• Maintain current benefits and funding levels.
• Make modest changes to slow growth and improve efficiency.
• Reduce benefits or raise the eligibility age.
• Significantly cut spending.

A plurality of 46% would like to expand Medicare benefits, while only 20% wish to reduce Medicare benefits.

A large majority of over 80% on the left would like to expand Medicare benefits., while on the right a small majority of 54% would like to reduce or significantly cut benefits.

Medicaid

The survey (answered by 469 people) asked: “Which of the following statements best reflects your opinion on how the government should handle Medicaid spending?” and provided 5 possible answers:

• Expand Medicaid coverage and benefits.
• Maintain current funding and eligibility levels.
• Gradually reduce Medicaid spending and eligibility.
• Cut Medicaid spending significantly.
• Phase out federal Medicaid funding.

Expanding Medicaid is the most popular option among half of Americans, while 38% wish to reduce or even eliminate Medicaid.

Of those on the left, 91% wish to expand Medicaid, while of those on the right, 84% would like to reduce, cut or even eliminate Medicaid.

Appendix A – Survey Content

Each of the participants was provided with optional background information on each of these policy topics before responding. We encourage you to review the survey in detail if you have questions on what each participant read.

For each of the questions we have looked at the overall opinion of all survey takers as well as the split based on political leanings, distinguishing between the left, moderate left, center, moderate right and the right, each representing 20% of the overall population.

Appendix B – ActiVote Polling Methodology

ActiVote collects survey responses from survey takers through the ActiVote app, both available on web and smartphone (the vast majority of participants in this survey used the web version).The survey responses are weighted based on various characteristics to ensure the sample reflects the opinion of the American public at large. Feel free to review ActiVote’s polling methodology. More information about ActiVote’s polls can be found at ActiVote’s polling page.