The British government is selling a number of things it owns to pay off its growing debt, but voters have mixed feelings about the U.S. government doing the same thing. Amtrak and the ownership stakes in General Motors and Chrysler can go, as far as voters are concerned, but don’t touch the government’s land and the U.S. Postal Service.

New Rasmussen Reports national telephone polling shows that voters are evenly divided when asked if the U.S. government should sell some of the things it owns to help reduce the federal debt. Thirty-seven percent (37%) say yes, but 36% say no. Twenty-seven percent (27%) are not sure.

But just 28% say the government should retain ownership of the Amtrak rail service for a long time. Fifty-seven percent (57%) think the government should sell Amtrak to private investors as soon as possible. Fifteen percent (15%) aren’t sure.

Voters feel even more strongly that the government should sell off its ownership stakes in General Motors and Chrysler. Seventy-six percent (76%) say the government should sell its ownership of the auto companies to private investors as soon as possible. Only 11% disagree and think the government should retain its shares of GM and Chrysler for a long time. These views remain virtually unchanged from June.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

Thirty-one percent (31%) of voters think it’s a good idea for the government to sell the U.S. Postal Service to a private company. Fifty-eight percent (58%), however, oppose such a sale.

While the U.S. government owns nearly one-third of the land in the United States, just 33% say the government should sell off that property to reduce the federal debt. Fifty percent (50%) are against any government land sales. Seventeen percent (17%) are not sure what to do with the land.

Of the priorities outlined by President Obama earlier this year, Democrats see health care reform as the most important. But Republicans and voters not affiliated with either of the parties view deficit reduction as the priority.

Men are consistently more bullish than women when it comes to selling any of the government’s assets except the automakers.

The numbers in favor of selling Amtrak, the Postal Service, government land and the ownership stakes in the two automakers are strongly opposed by voters under 30.

There is virtually no partisan disagreement on the question of whether the government should sell some things now to help reduce the deficit. But Republicans (89%) and unaffiliated voters (81%) feel more strongly about unloading the shares in GM and Chrysler than Democrats (61%) do.

Seventy percent (70%) of GOP voters favor selling Amtrak to private investors as soon as possible, as do 59% of unaffiliateds. Democrats are almost evenly divided on the question.

Seventy-five percent (75%) of Democrats and 54% of unaffiliated voters frown on selling the Postal Service. But Republicans are evenly divided.

Republicans are also narrowly divided on the question of government land sales, while most Democrats (54%) and unaffiliated voters (52%) are opposed to the idea.

Eighty-three percent (83%) of Americans say it’s likely there will still be a need for the Postal Service in 10 years, even as increasing numbers pay their bills and send personal letters via the Internet. But 50% would rather cut back the number of days mail is delivered than have the federal government subsidize the Postal Service to maintain its current level of service.

Please sign up for the Rasmussen Reports daily e-mail update (it’s free) or follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Let us keep you up to date with the latest public opinion news.

See survey questions and toplines. Crosstabs are available to Premium Members only.