Where is "Middle America" on the issue of cuts vs. taxes?

What's up in Cleveland?

Folks steeped in stereotypes of the Midwest might be surprised by this. The political reality is that a broad spectrum of voters support raising taxes on high earners and oppose cutting so-called "entitlements" as paths to deficit reduction.

Poll of swing state "likely voters" by Public Policy Polling (commissioned by MoveOn, DFA, Credo and Bold Progressives):


TAXING THE WEALTHY

QUESTION: In order to reduce the national debt, would you support or oppose raising taxes on those with incomes over $150,000 a year?
Ohio	66% support	31% oppose
Missouri	58% support	36% oppose
Montana	62% support	34% oppose
Minnesota	67% support	30% oppose

QUESTION: In order to reduce the national debt, would you support or oppose raising taxes on those with incomes over $250,000 a year?
Ohio	72% support	26% oppose
Missouri	67% support	30% oppose
Montana	69% support	28% oppose
Minnesota	71% support	27% oppose

QUESTION: In order to reduce the national debt, would you support or oppose raising taxes on those with incomes over $1,000,000 a year?
Ohio	78% support	21% oppose
Missouri	76% support	22% oppose
Montana	77% support	21% oppose
Minnesota	79% support	19% oppose

QUESTION: Would you support or oppose a proposal that said personal income above $1,000,000 would be taxed at 45%, income above $20,000,000 dollars would be taxed at 47%, and income above $1,000,000,000 would be taxed at 49%?
Ohio	62% support	29% oppose
Missouri	56% support	30% oppose
Montana	56% support	33% oppose
Minnesota	61% support	29% oppose

CUTTING SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, AND MEDICAID

QUESTION: In order to reduce the national debt, would you support or oppose cutting spending on Social Security, which is the retirement program for the elderly?
Ohio	16% support	80% oppose
Missouri	17% support	76% oppose
Montana	20% support	76% oppose
Minnesota	23% support	72% oppose

QUESTION: In order to reduce the national debt, would you support or oppose cutting spending on Medicare, which is the government health insurance program for the elderly?
Ohio	20% support	76% oppose
Missouri	19% support	77% oppose
Montana	24% support	71% oppose
Minnesota	26% support	69% oppose

QUESTION: In order to reduce the national debt, would you support or oppose cutting spending on Medicaid, which is the government health insurance program for the poor, disabled, and children?
Ohio	33% support	61% oppose
Missouri	32% support	63% oppose
Montana	36% support	59% oppose
Minnesota	33% support	62% oppose

 Polling done in late April and early May. Via Winning Progressive

Worried about the "balance"

Jonathan Cohn at The New Republic:

Obama has talked frequently about the need for both parties to make painful decisions (in the debt ceiling showdown) that hurt their constituencies or require compromising core values... But only one party seems to making those painful decisions right now – and, come to think of it, only one party has been making those decisions for quite a while.