| Republican/Lean Republican | Democrat/Lean Democrat | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20091 | 2013 | 2017 | 2019 | 2009 | 2013 | 2017 | 2019 | |||
| % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |||
| Health care | Increase spending | 43 | 17 | 28 | 27 | 80 | 53 | 71 | 73 | |
| Decrease spending | 15 | 41 | 35 | 33 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 5 | ||
| Keep spending the same | 34 | 36 | 33 | 36 | 15 | 34 | 24 | 19 | ||
| Don’t know (VOL.) | 7 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Anti-terrorism defenses in the U.S. | Increase spending | 50 | 33 | 61 | 55 | 30 | 33 | 33 | 30 | |
| Decrease spending | 5 | 15 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 21 | 15 | 21 | ||
| Keep spending the same | 39 | 49 | 30 | 35 | 44 | 44 | 51 | 45 | ||
| Don’t know (VOL.) | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 5 | ||
| Veterans benefits and services | Increase spending | 59 | 53 | 70 | 71 | 66 | 53 | 78 | 72 | |
| Decrease spending | 2 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 3 | ||
| Keep spending the same | 31 | 39 | 22 | 23 | 28 | 38 | 20 | 22 | ||
| Don’t know (VOL.) | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | ||
| The State Department and American embassies | Increase spending | 8 | 17 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 20 | |||
| Decrease spending | 37 | 39 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 17 | ||||
| Keep spending the same | 47 | 40 | 57 | 50 | 55 | 59 | ||||
| Don’t know (VOL.) | 8 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 6 | 4 | ||||
| Social Security | Increase spending | 34 | 36 | 38 | 45 | 53 | 57 | |||
| Decrease spending | 17 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 6 | ||||
| Keep spending the same | 47 | 50 | 49 | 47 | 42 | 33 | ||||
| Don’t know (VOL.) | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | ||||
| Rebuilding highways, bridges and roads | Increase spending | 33 | 55 | 57 | 44 | 61 | 64 | |||
| Decrease spending | 18 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 7 | 7 | ||||
| Keep spending the same | 47 | 36 | 31 | 41 | 31 | 27 | ||||
| Don’t know (VOL.) | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||
| Economic assistance to needy people in the U.S. | Increase spending | 13 | 26 | 27 | 37 | 63 | 62 | |||
| Decrease spending | 44 | 37 | 29 | 12 | 6 | 9 | ||||
| Keep spending the same | 38 | 35 | 40 | 48 | 30 | 27 | ||||
| Don’t know (VOL.) | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | ||||
| Scientific research | Increase spending | 25 | 25 | 33 | 40 | 51 | 46 | 60 | 62 | |
| Decrease spending | 21 | 30 | 20 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 6 | 8 | ||
| Keep spending the same | 46 | 43 | 45 | 37 | 39 | 38 | 33 | 28 | ||
| Don’t know (VOL.) | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Military defense | Increase spending | 54 | 44 | 71 | 56 | 29 | 22 | 31 | 26 | |
| Decrease spending | 10 | 14 | 8 | 10 | 23 | 34 | 27 | 31 | ||
| Keep spending the same | 32 | 41 | 20 | 32 | 41 | 40 | 41 | 39 | ||
| Don’t know (VOL.) | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | ||
| Government assistance for the unemployed | Increase spending | 30 | 9 | 13 | 10 | 59 | 36 | 41 | 47 | |
| Decrease spending | 26 | 53 | 44 | 39 | 6 | 16 | 10 | 10 | ||
| Keep spending the same | 38 | 37 | 40 | 46 | 30 | 45 | 48 | 40 | ||
| Don’t know (VOL.) | 5 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | ||
| Medicare | Increase spending | 37 | 24 | 35 | 38 | 67 | 45 | 61 | 68 | |
| Decrease spending | 10 | 19 | 15 | 13 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 4 | ||
| Keep spending the same | 48 | 54 | 50 | 46 | 26 | 43 | 33 | 26 | ||
| Don’t know (VOL.) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Environmental protection | Increase spending | 23 | 11 | 23 | 29 | 59 | 51 | 61 | 73 | |
| Decrease spending | 29 | 41 | 38 | 29 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 3 | ||
| Keep spending the same | 44 | 47 | 38 | 40 | 28 | 37 | 33 | 22 | ||
| Don’t know (VOL.) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Economic assistance to needy people around the world | Increase spending | 14 | 7 | 13 | 15 | 35 | 30 | 41 | 49 | |
| Decrease spending | 40 | 70 | 56 | 50 | 24 | 32 | 13 | 12 | ||
| Keep spending the same | 39 | 22 | 29 | 31 | 36 | 34 | 45 | 36 | ||
| Don’t know (VOL.) | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Education | Increase spending | 53 | 45 | 52 | 56 | 81 | 72 | 78 | 84 | |
| Decrease spending | 10 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Keep spending the same | 33 | 38 | 32 | 26 | 14 | 22 | 17 | 11 | ||
| Don’t know (VOL.) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
