Pivoting off Will Wilkinson, Brian Fung argues that to understand what the public's real view on what to cut, we need better polls:
Take this CNN poll, for example. The survey effectively absolves respondents of the responsibility for making a choice. Asking people whether they’d accept cuts to defense spending in one question, and entitlements in another, tricks poll-takers into considering each of these sectors out of their proper context. Such questions are misleading because they presume there is nothing else on the table when respondents know that there are other options the pollster hasn’t mentioned. Choosing not to cut defense spending becomes easier when you know you can just cut from something else that’s not in the question. Lawmakers don’t have that luxury. Neither should poll respondents.
The Dish 