Results of CRFB's "Stabilize the Debt" Simulator

 For the period from October 2010 through January 2012

Issue
% Users
% Dem
% Ind
% Rep
Budget Path
Reduce Iraq/Afghanistan Troops to 60k
26
23
26
31
Reduce Iraq/Afghanistan Troops to 30k
70
75
71
59
Maintain Current Troop Levels
4
2
4
10
Renew 01/03 Tax Cuts
7
2
7
18
Renew 01/03 Tax Cuts on Income <250K
13
13
12
14
Renew Lower Income Cuts
22
25
21
18
Allow All Tax Cuts Except AMT to Expire
59
60
61
50
Grow Discretionary Spending w/ GDP
6
7
5
5
Grow Discretionary Spending w/ President’s Budget
20
31
17
9
Grow Discretionary Spending w/ Inflation
74
62
77
86
Defense
Weapons System Cuts
73
85
70
57
Cut Foreign Aid in Half
66
51
70
81
Increase Foreign Aid by 50%
9
14
7
5
Expand Veterans Benefits
31
34
31
27
Reduce Veterans Benefits
24
21
25
29
Cancel Missile Defense System
54
66
53
36
Reduce Ship Building
75
80
74
66
Increase Homeland Security Spending
9
7
8
13
Increase Troop Levels by 46K
5
4
5
10
Decrease Troop Levels, Reverse Grow the Army Initiative
81
85
81
72
Domestic
Rescind Unused Stimulus (ARRA) Funds
65
48
70
84
Enact New Jobs Bill
29
45
25
11
Decrease Highway Funding by 25%
38
29
39
49
Increase Highway Funding by 25%
25
32
23
17
Freeze Average Unemployment Benefits at 2009 Levels
59
46
61
77
Cut Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
24
12
26
43
Cut Federal Funding of K-12 25%
22
8
24
43
Eliminate New Markets Tax Credit
52
40
54
66
Cut School Breakfast
26
13
29
44
Double Funding on Adoption and Foster Care
9
12
8
7
Increase Funding for Education
10
15
9
5
Social Security
Raise NRA to 68
74
71
74
82
Gradually Reduce Scheduled Benefits by 30%
31
20
33
45
Progressively Reduce Benefits, Protect Low Earners
20
22
20
18
Progressively Reduce Benefits, Protect Low + Medium Earners
30
36
29
22
Use A More Accurate Measure of Inflation for COLAs
71
68
71
77
Reduce Spousal Benefits 50% to 33%
40
36
41
43
Increase Years Used to Calculate Benefits
53
48
53
63
Include all New State and Local Workers In Social Security
77
76
76
82
Institute a Minimum Benefit
9
13
9
5
Health Care
Expand Coverage to Additional 5 Million
13
22
11
3
Reduce Insurance Subsidies by 20%
26
27
27
20
Repeal Entire Health Care Legislation
3
1
3
5
Repeal Legislation, Keep Medicare/Medicaid Cuts
28
9
30
56
Increase Cost-Sharing Medicare
51
46
51
62
Raise Medicare Premiums to 35%
42
37
42
55
Establish a Public Option
66
80
63
47
Enact Medical Malpractice Reform
74
72
73
82
Increase the Medicare Retirement Age to 67
65
61
65
73
Replace Traditional Medicare w/ Premium Support
33
18
35
54
Reduce Medicaid Funding, Removing Match Floor
39
26
41
59
Increase Average Medicaid Match from 57% to 60%
7
10
5
4
Other
Eliminate Certain Outdated Programs
88
90
87
89
Freeze Federal Civilian Pay for 2 Yrs
65
59
66
73
Reduce Generosity of TRICARE
45
40
47
52
Reform Federal Retiree Benefits
65
61
65
74
Cancel NASA Missions to Moon/Mars
40
39
39
44
Reduce Farm Subsidies
70
73
69
68
Expand Federal R&D
25
31
24
16
Cut All Earmarks & Half of Savings for Deficit Reduction
82
77
83
87
Increase Mass Transit Funding
30
40
28
16
Revenue
Increase User Fees Across the Board
54
57
52
54
Sell Government Assets
51
45
52
62
Impose Financial Crisis Responsibility
70
76
69
62
Repeal LIFO & Eliminate Oil & Gas Preferences
72
79
71
63
Enact Carbon Tax/Cap-and-Trade
62
79
59
36
Increase Gas Tax $.10/Gallon
52
62
50
39
5% VAT, Partial Rebate
38
42
38
32
Increase Dependent Exemption,$3500
8
8
7
7
Surtax on Income above $1 million
68
81
66
49
Gradually Increase Payroll Tax 1 Percentage Point
43
47
41
38
Raise SS Cap to Cover 90% Earnings
55
61
53
49
Institute 2% Surtax on Wages Above SS Cap
21
22
21
20
Reduce Corporate Tax Rate to 30%
14
11
14
22
Index Tax Code to More Accurate Measure of Inflation
53
57
51
49
Reduce Tax Gap
74
79
71
69
Tax Expenditures
Tax Fringe Benefits as Regular Income
41
45
40
36
Limit Mortgage Interest Deduction & Other Deductions
65
74
64
54
Curtail State and Local Tax Deduction
38
39
38
37
Eliminate Life Insurance Tax Benefits
29
32
28
28
Eliminate Subsidies for Biofuels
51
46
51
61
Make R&D Tax Credit Permanent
22
28
20
18
Extend $400/person Making Work Pay Credit
9
12
8
6
Cut the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
11
14
27
37
Expand the EITC and Child Tax Credit
11
17
9
8
Extend American Opportunity Tax Credit
24
33
22
15
Begin Excise Tax on High Cost Plans in 2013 (Instead of 2018)
21
26
20
15
Repeal Excise Tax on High Cost Plans
5
4
5
7
Replace Employer Exclusion with Flat Credit
38
38
37
45