70% of people are against it.
Actually, two polls showed that 65% agreed that they have a legal right to build it, but 65% said it would be better if they chose another location. Obama could have covered both bets by saying, of course by our laws they have they right, but it would be nice if they would consider the fellings of Americans and build elsewhere.
Someone told me the reason they want to build there is because they already own the property. Actually there is a profitable fix for that. They could do a Starker (IRS 1031) Excange. With that if you sell a property, put the money in escrow and buy another property of the same or greater value, you do not have to pay capital gains tax on your profit. We did this to good effect with land my husband inherited 1,000 miles away for land and a pond only 120 miles away.
Perhaps some public spirited citizen who owns a suitable property in NY will make them an offer that would be economically stupid to refuse.
I think counting on these guys NOT being stupid is in vain. I'm in a movie quoting mood ... "A little people. A silly people. Greedy, barbarous, and cruel." (Lawrence of Arabia)
Governor Patterson made an offer of a suitable state-owned parcel, which they turned down.