Public Divided on Defense Spending

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- A recent national Gallup survey finds a plurality of Americans satisfied with the current level of defense spending by the federal government, with the rest a little more likely to say there is too much than to say there is too little spending. Americans are almost evenly divided between those who say the country's national defense is not strong enough and those who say it is about right. Democrats and Republicans clash on these issues, with Republicans more likely to express satisfaction with both spending and the strength of national defense, while Democrats are more likely to be critical.

The poll, conducted Feb. 6-9, 2006, shows that 40% of Americans are satisfied with the current level of defense spending by the federal government, while 32% say there is too much spending and 25% say there is too little.

The current pattern is typical of most of the years when Gallup has measured public opinion on this issue, with more people saying spending is too high than too low. However, two major exceptions can be found, one in 1981, shortly after President Ronald Reagan took office, and the second when President George W. Bush took office.

In the 1980 presidential campaign, both Reagan and President Jimmy Carter promised to beef up the defense budget, so that by the time the poll was taken, most Americans agreed with that position. However, the very next year, the pattern returned to normal, in part because Reagan had increased defense spending significantly.

In the 2000 election campaign, presidential candidate George W. Bush also campaigned on promises to increase defense spending, as did Vice President Al Gore. By early 2001, 41% of the public said defense spending was too little, the highest percentage in 20 years. The following year, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and a significant increase in defense spending, the percentage of Americans saying spending was too little declined to 33%, and fell further the following year to 25 percent. Since then, the percentage saying too little has been smaller or about the same as the percentage saying there is too much spending on defense.

The poll shows that opinion on defense spending is highly related to partisan orientation. A majority of Republicans, 56%, say spending is about right, and the rest split 32% to 12%, saying there is too little rather than too much spending. By contrast, pluralities of both independents and Democrats say spending is too much, with half that number saying it is too little.

Another way to look at the public's attitudes about defense is with a question that asks whether "our national defense is stronger now than it needs to be, not strong enough, or about right at the present time." Though many Americans will say the government is spending too much on defense, few will say the national defense is stronger than it needs to be. Just 7% say that in the current poll, though in 1990 the number was as high as 16%.

In all of the years Gallup has asked this question, either a majority or plurality of Americans have said the national defense is about what it should be. The current reading reflects the smallest gap between those who say the defense is what it should be (47%) and those who say it is not strong enough (43%).

Again, there are significant partisan differences in opinion on this issue. Republicans are most likely to say the country's defense is about right (58%) rather than not strong enough (39%). Democrats, by contrast, are more likely to say the defense is not strong enough (49%) rather than about right (37%). Independents are about evenly divided.

Survey Methods

Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,002 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Feb. 6-9, 2006. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of error attributable to sampling and other random effects is ±3 percentage points.

In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

17. There is much discussion as to the amount of money the government in Washington should spend for national defense and military purposes. How do you feel about this? Do you think we are spending too little, about the right amount, or too much?

18. Do you, yourself, feel that our national defense is stronger now than it needs to be, not strong enough, or about right at the present time?