Interesting poll published by Fox News that frames the sequester debate in a way we haven't seen before:

American voters think the impending across-the-board budget cuts, known as the sequester, are what it will take to get the federal deficit under control -- because there's no other way Congress will do it.  In addition, less than half think the cuts will have a negative effect on the country.  

A new Fox News national poll shows 57 percent of voters think the "only way" to control the deficit is through actions like the automatic cuts because lawmakers are unable to do it on their own.  Some 29 percent have confidence that Congress has the know-how and power to make it happen.  

Click here for full poll results.

The $85 billion in mandatory cuts are set to take effect Friday.

While 45 percent of voters think the consequences of the cuts would be negative, slightly more say they would either have a positive effect (27 percent) or not make much of a difference (22 percent).  

Even voters who think the cuts would have a negative effect are more likely to say sequester-style tactics are necessary to control the deficit.  

Less than one in three think Congress has the gumption to cut the budget. Telling, indeed. The response cuts across party lines so that even Republican voters have no confidence in their own party - the party claiming to be fiscally responsible - to get the job done.

Another intreresting tack to the Fox Poll:

On a series of issues the poll asks voters if they feel "fed up" or if it doesn't bother them that much.  Most voters are fed up with the growing deficit (81 percent), too much government spending (79 percent) and gridlock in Washington (78 percent).  The only thing to top the aggravation with what's going on in Washington: 84 percent are fed up with gas prices.   

Republicans, Democrats, and Independents are all disgusted with issues that favor the GOP. This is another landslide waiting to happen if the Republicans can tap into this disgust and offer realistic alternatives to what Obama and the Democrats have been doing.

But presently, the brand is so toxic that voters aren't listening. The GOP has a lot of work to do to raise their stature and prove to the voter that they know what's needed to begin dealing with what ails us, and what the public finds so distressing.