Poll: Majority wants compromise on long-term federal spending bill



Just 6 percent of Democrats think federal spending is so bloated that failure to have a new long-term spending bill with cuts warrants a shutdown. Ninety-two percent are more interested in avoiding a shutdown.

Twenty-nine percent of Republicans think significant spending cuts are so important to a long-term spending bill that it’s worth risking a government shutdown to get those cuts. 



Forty-six percent of Republicans think the deficit is the most important issue facing the country, compared to just 16 percent of Democrats who rank the deficit above jobs as the number one issue. 



Bloomberg also found that most think the deficit can be fixed without raising taxes: Sixty-one percent say serious deficit reduction is possible without raising taxes; 37 percent say it’s not possible.



Despite the poll’s results, the possibility of a deal any time soon appears unlikely. House Republican are preparing another stopgap continuing resolution that would keep the government running for a few weeks. Republicans are hoping to cut federal spending by a total of $61 billion but Democrats say that number is too large.

Cross-posted from Blog Briefing Room.