New instructions for next president – no matter which party

Editor's note: This is another in a series of "WND/WENZEL POLLS" conducted exclusively for WND by the public-opinion research and media consulting company Wenzel Strategies.

A new poll reveals that no matter who is in the White House following the 2012 election, the peoples' representatives in Washington need to be following new marching orders if they are to fulfill their commitment actually to do the will of the people.

That includes cutting the federal debt, taxes and government.

None of those has been a particularly important issue for the current White House, which has been on duty during the biggest-ever-in-history accumulation of federal debt, repeated campaigns to raise taxes through calls for people to pay their "fair share," and the unprecedented expansion of government through programs such as Obamacare, the substantive takeover by government of some one-sixth of the nation's entire economy.

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Those, however, fly in the face of what Americans actually want, according to the newest WND/Wenzel Poll conducted by Wenzel Strategies. The telephone survey was conducted Oct. 22-25 and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.

"Americans are diametrically opposed to the Obama plan to fix the stalled national economy in that, our polling shows, their top priority is to cut the federal deficit, and one of the things they least want to see Washington do is spend more money on a new stimulus package," Fritz Wenzel, the principal of Wenzel Strategies, said.

"More than three out of four likely voters – 76 percent – said they believe it is strongly important that the nation's leaders cut the $14 trillion debt, while just 39 percent said they think it is important to enact another stimulus from the federal treasury to try – again – to stimulate the economy."

He said the survey "shows the American mindset has begun to harden on the question of federal spending. While in the past this issue used to wax and wane, it has been a top concern of voters for an extended period of time. The longer it stays as a top concern, the more harshly they will judge those political figures who resist or refuse to deal with it."

Wenzel continued, "Democrats have long resisted efforts to cut the national budget and pay down the debt, and these polling results reveal why, more than a year before the next presidential and congressional elections, it is growing easier to postulate that Democrats in Washington are in very, very deep trouble."

The poll asked people to assess the importance on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being extremely important) the importance of various issues for Washington following the 2012 elections.

On the issue of cutting the federal debt, 65.8 percent ranked it as a very high priority. That was made up of 78.3 percent of members of the GOP, 75 percent of the GOP-leaning independents, 60.5 percent of the Democrat-leaning independents, but only 51 percent of Democrats.

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Nearly one-quarter of the Democrats, in fact, said that issue was largely unimportant.

The related issue of cutting taxes for most Americans was rated as a very high priority by a full 50.3 percent of the respondents. Again, Democrats brought up the rear, with only 44.8 percent citing the issue. Among the GOP, 55.1 percent said it was a very high priority and among GOP-leaning independents it was cited by 54.6 percent.

The third prong of that move – cutting regulations and the size and scope of government, was rated as a very high priority by 52.8 percent of respondents. The margin between GOP and Democrat was a literal chasm here. Sixty-nine-point-nine percent of the GOP respondents and 62 percent of the GOP-leaning independents said that issue was a very high priority, while only 42 percent of the Democrat-leaning independents and only one in three Democrats placed it in that category. In fact, one-quarter of the Democrats said issue was unimportant.

On another issues, a significant 43.4 percent placed a very high priority on repealing – not modifying – Obamacare, the president's signature government takeover of health care decision-making.

The gap here also was significant, 62.5 percent of the Republicans to 21.1 percent of the Democrats. Independents leaned toward repeal.

On the other hand, the Democrats thought Washington should be spending more on social programs for housing, medical and education, with 57 percent of the party's faithful placing a very high priority on that. Overall, only 38 percent of the nation agreed.

And regarding "raising taxes for the rich," only Democrats thought it was important. Nearly 70 percent placed a very high priority on that. Among Republicans, it was considered very important by only 27 percent.

Auditing the Federal Reserve was considered very important by 41 percent, and 54 percent, including 66 percent of the independents who lean to the GOP, said it was very important to overhaul the federal tax code "dramatically."

Spending more on defense and national security generated relatively low enthusiasm from all quarters, with only 32 percent placing a very high priority on that.

In what could be a factor in the coming election, Obama's campaign strategy of another economy stimulus, was considered very important by only 31 percent – virtually at the bottom of the pile regarding priorities.

In fact, 34 percent of the respondents said the issue was of virtually insignificant value and another nine percent placed it only one step higher.

Read the results of the poll questions:

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all important and 5 being extremely important, please rank the importance of each item in terms of what would you like to see Washington do most after the 2012 elections. Repealing Obamacare.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all important and 5 being extremely important, please rank the importance of each item in terms of what would you like to see Washington do most after the 2012 elections. Increasing spending on social programs like housing, medical care and education.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all important and 5 being extremely important, please rank the importance of each item in terms of what would you like to see Washington do most after the 2012 elections. Increasing spending on defense and national security.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all important and 5 being extremely important, please rank the importance of each item in terms of what would you like to see Washington do most after the 2012 elections. Raising taxes for the rich.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all important and 5 being extremely important, please rank the importance of each item in terms of what would you like to see Washington do most after the 2012 elections. Cutting taxes for most Americans.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all important and 5 being extremely important, please rank the importance of each item in terms of what would you like to see Washington do most after the 2012 elections. Cutting the federal debt.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all important and 5 being extremely important, please rank the importance of each item in terms of what would you like to see Washington do most after the 2012 elections. Cutting federal regulations and the size and scope of government.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all important and 5 being extremely important, please rank the importance of each item in terms of what would you like to see Washington do most after the 2012 elections. Audit the Federal Reserve.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all important and 5 being extremely important, please rank the importance of each item in terms of what would you like to see Washington do most after the 2012 elections. Dramatically reforming the federal tax code.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all important and 5 being extremely important, please rank the importance of each item in terms of what would you like to see Washington do most after the 2012 elections. Enacting another economic stimulus program.