Government spending on improving and protecting the environment

Whether the country spends too much, too little, or about the right amount on improving and protecting the environment (GSS, since 1973). A second GSS line uses the split-ballot alternate wording. The ANES line asks whether federal spending should be increased, kept the same, or decreased.

Latest: 12% answered “Too much” in ANES, 2024.

Percentages ofpeople who answered everyone asked

All answers over time

ANES

GSS: Spending on improving and protecting the environment

GSS: Spending on the environment

Share answering

Too little About right Too much

Dashed lines mark changes in how interviews were done, which can shift answers: 1. ANES → mixed mode (2012); 2. GSS: Spending on the environment → web (2021).

Subgroupsall answers lines

“Too much” by age

Groups differ from everyone by 8 points on average across all answers, in GSS: Spending on improving and protecting the environment.

Dashed lines mark changes in how interviews were done, which can shift answers: 1. GSS: Spending on improving and protecting the environment → web (2021).

“Too much” by party

Groups differ from everyone by 7 points on average across all answers, in GSS: Spending on improving and protecting the environment.

Dashed lines mark changes in how interviews were done, which can shift answers: 1. GSS: Spending on improving and protecting the environment → web (2021).

Questions in this trend

Line	Question	Match	How answers map
ANES	Federal spending on the environment FEDERAL SPENDING - GENERAL TEXT If you had a say in making up the federal budget this year, for which (1986 AND LATER: of the following) programs would you like to see spending increased and for which would you like to see spending decreased: Should federal spending on [ITEM] be increased, decreased or kept about the same? Should federal spending on improving and protecting the environment (2000,2002: environmental protection; 2008,2012,2016: protecting the environment) be increased, decreased, or stay the same 2012: fedspend_enviro V083151 V023052,5113,5113x Caveat: ANES asks whether federal spending should be increased, kept the same, or decreased.	similar	Increased → Too little; Same → About right; Decreased → Too much; Cut out entirely (volunteered) → Too much
GSS: Spending on improving and protecting the environment	Spending on improving and protecting the environment We are faced with many problems in this country, none of which can be solved easily or inexpensively. I'm going to name some of these problems, and for each one I'd like you to name some of these problems, and for each one I'd like you to tell me whether you think we're spending too much money on it, too little money, or about the right amount. First (READ ITEM A) . . . are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount on (ITEM)? B. Improving and protecting the environment	identical	Too little → Too little; About right → About right; Too much → Too much
GSS: Spending on the environment	Spending on the environment We are faced with many problems in this country, none of which can be solved easily or inexpensively. I'm going to name some of these problems, and for each one I'd like you to tell me whether you think we're spending too much money on it, too little money, or about the right amount. First (READ ITEM A) . . . are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount on (ITEM)? B. The environment Caveat: GSS split-ballot alternate wording (e.g. 'assistance to big cities' vs. 'solving the problems of big cities'); a deliberate wording experiment, so levels differ systematically.