Let’s say you were the head of the OMB…

I can appreciate the fact that the federal budget is a complicated document that almost no one actually reads, but the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA), which has produced several fascinating reports of late on public opinion, posed an interesting question for its latest study: how would regular people divide up the budget if given the chance? Not surprisingly, according to results just released, they wouldn’t go with Bush’s approach.

A new poll finds that the American public would significantly alter the Administration’s discretionary federal budget. Presented a breakdown of the major areas of the proposed discretionary budget and given the opportunity to redistribute it, respondents made major changes.

The most dramatic changes were deep cuts in defense spending, a significant reallocation toward deficit reduction, and increases in spending on education, job training, reducing reliance on oil, and veterans. These changes were favored by both Republicans and Democrats, though the changes were generally greater for Democrats.

Indeed, for all the talk we keep hearing about America’s dramatic “shift to the right,” the electorate sounds awfully liberal. In terms of areas of the budget the public wants to cut, defense spending is easily the top choice — two-thirds of those asked would lower the Pentagon’s budget.

At the same time, despite all we hear about the public’s penchant for cutting spending, the poll also showed widespread support for increasing social spending.

Spending on human capital was especially popular including education which was increased $26.8 billion (39%) and job training and employment which was up $19 billion or a remarkable 263%. Medical research was upped on average $15.5 billion (53%). Veterans benefits were raised 40% or $12.5 billion and housing went up 31% or $9.3 billion…. In percentage terms, by far the largest increase was for conserving and developing renewable energy — an extraordinary 1090% or $24 billion — which also had the highest percentage of respondents (70%) favoring an increase.

The PIPA report also indicated broad support for reducing the deficit Bush has created and rolling back the tax cuts for people with incomes over $200,000.

Conservative electorate? I don’t think so.