While only about 19 percent of American’s trust the U.S. government — the lowest level in the past half century — most don’t believe it’s wise to eliminate entire departments of government.
In the current presidential race, the idea of eliminating entire departments of government has been proposed, including axing the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, the Department of Commerce and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Yet 63 percent of American’s aren’t convinced that this would be a good thing, according to a Gallup poll.
And despite the consternation the Internal Revenue Service stirs up, 44 percent of Americans don’t feel it would be wise to cut the agency, according to the poll. Thirty-four percent are in favor of getting rid of the agency and 22 percent didn’t have an opinion.
Size Matters
Other changes to the federal government proposed during this presidential campaign season have been met with greater support. Thirty-three percent of those polled agree with initiating a hiring freeze on all civilian jobs in the executive branch, while 28 percent disagree and 39 percent don’t know enough to say.
When it comes to hiring new workers, 29 percent in the poll are in favor of reducing the size of the federal workforce through attrition. They believe the federal government should require three government employees leave before hiring one new employee. An estimated 31 percent disagree and 40 percent don’t know enough to make an opinion.
Point of Agreement – Reducing the Federal Budget
Members of both the Democratic and Republican parties are in favor of cutting the federal budget by about $50 million in fiscal 2017, according to a survey by Voice of the People. Both parties agreed on cutting revenue increases totaling $41.9 billion. Other agreed upon cuts include reducing $3 billion in subsidies to agricultural corporations, a $1 billion reduction to the space program, and $1 billion in cuts to each to defense intelligence, operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, military aid, the State Department, aid to countries of strategic interest, and enforcement of Federal laws.
