The "Big Bird" Debate

YouGov
October 11, 2012, 4:00 PM GMT+0

(Week of 10/6/2012) In last Wednesday’s debate, Republican challenger Mitt Romney said , among other things, that he would cut spending to reduce the deficit. "I’m going to stop the subsidy to PBS. I’m going to stop other things. I like PBS, I love Big Bird...But I’m not going to — I’m not going to keep on spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for. That’s number one." The latest Economist/YouGov Poll finds voters divided on whether that should happen.

More support maintaining current funding for PBS or even increasing it than support cutting funding, although the question gets pretty much a partisan response.

Support for maintaining PBS funding is especially strong among those under 30, those earning more than $100,000 a year, and those who are college graduates. Three in four Republicans and conservatives would reduce PBS funding or eliminate it entirely.

Economist/YouGov poll archives can be found here

Photo source: Press Association