Posted on 07/15/2014 7:01:49 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll will be setting the narrative for the rest of the day, and that narrative is not an especially good one for Republicans. While Americans are not happy with the president’s approach to the border crisis, this poll suggests that the public is even less happy with Republicans and want the GOP to pass the president’s $3.7 billion supplemental package to deal with the situation on the southern border immediately.
Overall, 33 percent of respondents said they approve of the president’s handling of the humanitarian disaster on the border while 58 percent disapprove. Those are terrible numbers, but they look better in comparison to congressional Republicans.
Of congressional Republicans, 66 percent disapprove of their handling of the border crisis while only 23 percent approve. A majority, 53 percent, support Obama’s proposed emergency spending package billed as being designed to “provide care for these children while their deportation cases are heard” and “speed their deportation hearings and to increase border security.”
It looks like the GOP is in a terrible position from these topline results. Why the pollster even thought to ask how respondents about how the Republicans in Congress are handling the border crisis is a mystery if not for a desire to contrast the president against a more unpopular foil. A glance at the data, however, suggests that the president’s approach to the border crisis is in a far worse position with the American public.
Republican in Congress, who receive poor marks from nearly two-thirds of the public, can attribute some of that antipathy to their own voters. “Almost as many Republicans disapprove of their party’s handling of the issue as say they approve, with negative ratings rising to a majority among conservatives,” reads The Post’s write up of the poll. 48 percent approve of the GOP’s approach to the crisis while 45 percent disapprove.
Only 22 percent of independents and 9 percent of Democrats approve of the GOP’s approach to the crisis. The president, meanwhile, maintains the support of 57 percent of Democrats who approve of his approach to the border crisis. 12 percent of Republicans and 28 percent of independents agree. If the GOP maintained the intraparty unity that Obama benefits from, their numbers would look similar to the president’s.
More interestingly, support Obama’s handling of the crisis across racial demographics is shockingly weak. Only 27 percent of whites support his approach compared to 66 percent who oppose it. Just 55 percent of African-Americans back the president’s approach to this crisis – an unusually low finding for a demographic whose approval of the president Gallup currently pegs at 84 percent. Finally, a majority of Latinos – 54 percent – disapprove of Obama’s handling of the border crisis. Only 40 percent support his approach.
As for the support of the supplemental package, it is unclear why anyone would oppose it based on both the wording of the proposal put to voters in this survey and the absence of an alternative. Without a counter proposal, the fact that throwing money at a problem – money aimed at providing medical care to needy children, no less – only received 53 percent support is striking.
But digging into the numbers here is also instructive. Among registered voters, as opposed to all adults, the proposal loses 2 points shifts from support to opposition (51/45). Two-thirds of self-described Democrats support the proposal along with 51 percent of independents.
35 percent of self-identified Republicans back the proposal. The most opposition to the plan comes from those who identify as “conservative Republican.” Among this group, only 29 percent support the supplemental package while 66 percent oppose it.
In a crisis, and the situation at the border is a crisis, a plan always beats no plan. Right now, while it is imperfect and many do not trust that the federal government will carry out the deportation of the majority of the unaccompanied children migrants at the conclusion of their expedited deportation hearings, the proposed supplemental package remains the only option on the table to deal with an acute catastrophe.
Why this pollster decided to gauge the nation’s opinion of how congressional Republicans have handled this situation, I have no idea. Beyond the fact that it serves to conveniently remind the public that the GOP is, as ever, more unpopular than Obama – a refrain you will hear for the rest of the day.
I call BS.
I second that...
It strains credulity, at best.
Good God Almighty!!
When has ANYONE with a functioning brain TRUSTED A Washington Compost/Alinsky Bull Crap POLL!!!
We’re being MANIPULATED AGAIN, PEOPLE!!!
Polls that try to make the equivalence of congress’ disapproval to Obamas are useless.....congress is made up of people from varying degrees of political beliefs.... Obama is one man. Congress has never had high marks but they keep on getting elected.
Did the question inform the respondents that there is a backlog of 350,000 cases, and that these deportation hearings will be one to two, or even more years in the future, and that 90% never show up for the hearings and the feds make no effort to find those who do not show?
Everything about the government's immigration policies, and the reporting and polling about immigration is little more than a coordinated strategy of lies and deceptions aimed at the American public.
Always ask yourself:
Who paid for the survey
Who wrote the survey
It tells you everything you need to know
Phony poll. Another attempt by the Dems and their media allies to goad the GOPe into backing this supplemental package thereby pissing off the conservative base and keeping them home in November. Desperation time for the left. This writer is delusional if he thinks there’s a majority of Americans who want to throw $3.5 billion away on a bunch of illegals when we can’t take care of our Vets.
3,700 million dollar budget for a bandaid.
Let’s spend 40 million for a gourmet meal and first class flight back to Central America. Crisis over saving 98% of that budget.
So unpopular they have to lose the House and Senate in November. How else to interpret those numbers (which must be correct if the Post did them)?
Die, news media scum.
I think the way MSM is covering this is responsible for the opinion of so many low information idiots out there.
For instance last night on ABC nightly news there was not one second devoted to this crisis. NOT ONE.
In many people’s minds, especially those not yet affected this story is over
Not true.
This poll is a lie — another media lie to support Obama.
The WAPO and ABC? LOL! Aren’t they propaganda tentacles of the DNC?
Just another poll to put more pressure on the House to pass Obama’s request.
Let’s see here ... 58 percent disapprove, but we’re supposed to hand odumbo $38 extra large? This is what passes for logic on the Left.
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