Guidance on using the defense spending bill as an opportunity to reform the Department of Defense.
Americans view defense spending as unusually wasteful, but are divided on whether Congress should insist on reform at the Defense Department before it receives further budget increases.
- However, the issue is divisive, with Republican-leaning voters more supportive of increasing defense spending, even without reform, than voters overall.
WHY IT MATTERS – Congress is currently debating a defense spending bill that would increase defense spending by 1.2% – far less than recent annual increases.
HOW TO USE THIS DATA – The report provides guidance for those seeking to use the spending bill as an opportunity to achieve reforms at the Department of Defense.
Click on the image below to read the full report, including charts with demographic breakdowns…or read the summary below.
More Americans say we spend too much on defense (37%), rather than too little (24%), or the right amount (27%).
- Republicans are the only group more likely to say we spend too little (35%), as opposed to too much (28%), or the right amount (27%).
- Asians (63%) are the most likely to say we spend too much.
- Voters in America’s New Majority are less likely than all voters to say we spend too much on defense, but it is still a plurality (33%).
A narrow majority of Americans (51%) say defense spending has more waste than other areas of government.
- 13% say less waste and 24% say the same.
- Democrats (57%) and younger voters are more likely to say there is more waste in defense spending.
- A plurality of voters in America’s New Majority say defense spending has more waste than other areas of government.
A narrow majority of Americans (51%) say Congress should refuse to increase defense spending until the Department of Defense is overhauled to be more efficient and effective with tax dollars.
- 32% say we should increase defense spending even without reforms, and 17% don’t know.
- Republicans are less likely to favor drawing a hard line – 44% say we should refuse to increase defense spending without reforms, and 40% say we should increase spending even without reforms.
- Asians are the most likely to say we should insist on reform (72%).
- Among voters in America’s New Majority, those definitely voting GOP on the generic ballot are narrowly divided (43%-42%).
- Voters in America’s New Majority who are probably or leaning GOP (52%-34%), undecided (42%-25%), and voting Democrat (58%-27%), favor insisting on reform by larger margins.