Politics

A poll question featuring constrained choices prompts unsupported press claims, but other surveys suggest that public support for government spending remains strong.

Last week’s proposal from a group of Republicans in the House of Representatives to slash federal spending by more than $2 trillion over 10 years includes a proposal that could strip away federal funds for research on an array of energy-related projects, and potentially make it harder for new technologies to reach the marketplace.

The way a recent New York Times/CBS News poll framed the issues meant the results invariably stayed within the bounds of a relatively narrow range of policy options, rendering a broader spectrum of policy choices invisible.

When the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to
cut its own budget last week, the scant coverage in major outlets
represented a missed opportunity to probe what the consequences of the
reduction might be — or how previous staff reductions have affected the
ability of Congress to perform its work.

Plan leans heavily on spending cuts to balance the federal budget — a consequence of the decision to propose limits on the size of the government.

If one side gives up when it has maximum leverage, and the opposition says only that it will keep fighting for its original position, it's more apt to use the term 'surrender' or 'fecklessness.'