The Nation

Cuts in defense spending continue to dwarf other budget-reduction measures as the public's top priority for lowering the nation's huge budget deficit, according to a recent Gallup poll. Defense cuts currently are favored by 58% and opposed by 35%. Next are reductions in government spending for social programs such as health and education, favored by 21%, and raising income taxes (16% approve). The least popular deficit-reduction measure is cutting programs such as Social Security and Medicare, favored by only 9%.