Budget deficit is seen as less of a problem than in 2011 How seriousa problem is the budgetdefcitfor the country rightnow? (%)
About half of Americans (54%) say the budget deficit is a very serious problem for the country right now; 35% say it is a somewhat serious problem, while 10% say it is a not too or not at all serious problem right now. While this is similar to public opinion on this question in CBS News/New York Times surveys conducted in 2003, 2004 and 2005, far greater shares of Americans said the budget deficit was a serious problem for the country in 2010 and 2011. For example, in June 2011, 75% said the deficit was a very serious problem.
Concern about the deficit is lower than it was in 2010 and 2011 across the political spectrum. The share of Republicans, Democrats and independents saying the budget deficit is a very serious problem is down roughly 20 percentage points among each group from surveys conducted in those years.
Budget deficit is seen as less of a  | problem than in 2011  | How seriousa problem is the budgetdefcitfor the  | country rightnow? (%)  | Not too/Not  | 10  | 12  | 11  | at all serious  | 20  | 21  | Somewhat  | 38  | 35  | 36  | 36  | serious  | 75  | 73  | 54  | 52  | 50  | 50  | Very serious  | Oct Mar  | Feb  | Dec June  | Oct  | 2003 2004 2005 2010 2011 2017  | Notes: Previousyears' data from CBS News and CBS/NYTsurveys  | Don know responses notshown. 058  | Source Survev conducted Oct. 25-30. 2017.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 