deficit delusions

As Congress and the President try to make less of a mess of the economy, they face a rock wall of public opinion that constrain their options. For example, from one recent poll for the group Third Way:

Q57.
Which of the following statements do you agree with more?
If we're serious about reducing the deficit, we have to raise taxes. 17%

We can balance the budget without raising taxes. We just need to cut government spending and get rid of government waste. 76%

Don't know 7%

Q58.
Which of the following statements do you agree with more?
If we're serious about reducing the deficit, we have to reform Social Security and Medicare. 21%

We can balance the budget without touching Social Security and Medicare. We just need to cut other government spending and get rid of government waste. 75%

Don't know 5%

It's a shame the budget doesn't come with a line item for "government waste."