Posted on 08/23/2003 4:31:16 PM PDT by Brian S
Sunday August 24, 6:48 AM
A growing number of Americans don't want to see US President George W. Bush re-elected next year, and fear US troops will be drawn into a long, costly occupation of Iraq, according to a Newsweek poll.
For the first time the poll has found that more registered voters -- 49 percent -- would not want Bush to return for a second term in office if the elections were now, compared with 44 percent who would.
Only 23 percent said terrorism and homeland security would be the most important issues for them in the November 2004 election, compared with 48 percent who said deciding factors for them now would be the economy and jobs.
Meanwhile, 69 percent are now convinced the United States will become bogged down in Iraq, without achieving ostensible goals in getting the country back on its feet.
Some 40 percent of them are now "very concerned" US troops will be there for the long-haul.
A majority also fears that US forces will be overextended in the event of a security threat elsewhere, according to the poll in the latest edition of Newsweek -- 29 percent very concerned and 30 percent somewhat concerned.
Americans also think that reconstruction costs in Iraq are too high at one billion dollars per week -- 66 percent said they do not support such spending, compared with 34 percent who said they support current spending levels.
And 53 percent said they would oppose an increase to the figure being spent, with only seven percent not opposed to an increase.
Almost half of people polled -- 47 percent -- said they were very concerned that maintaining troops in Iraq is too expensive and will cause a higher budget deficit, seriously damaging the US economy.
Despite some indications the US president's popularity is on the wane, a majority still approves of the way Bush is handling his job. Some 53 percent supported him compared with 36 who did not, with 11 unsure.
In a Newsweek poll released a month ago, 49 percent said they would like to see Bush re-elected compared with 43 percent who would not.
Voters said they prefered Republican President Bush's stance for dealing with terrorists than what they have seen so far from leading figures among the Democrats.
Some 57 percent said they prefered Bush's position on terrorism to 21 who prefered the Democrats. But 45 percent felt the Democrats had more to offer on stimulating the economy, compared with 36 percent who thought Bush had a better approach.
The survey was taken between August 21-22 on some 1,011 adults aged 18 and above. The poll has a plus or minus three percent error margin.
I agree. In fact the Immigration issue is Bush's only ace-in-the-hole; but I'm afraid he won't play it, allowing that issue to default to the Democrat Candidate (Hillary! God forbid). In my nightmares I can hear that witch next October screaming: "Elect me ... I'll close those borders!"(Of course she won't, but her workers will cheer loudly, and the American voters will scream: "YES!")
I don't know about the contracts, but I do know Perot had (still does, I'm sure) a gigantic ego and a major league hatred for Bush 41. Combine it with the fact that the American voting Zeitgeist in 1992 was little more than "throw the bums out!", and I think you've got pretty decent evidence that Perot just saw an opportunity to screw with an enemy, have a lot of fun, and make himself famous, so he ran with it.
AFP is Agence France-Presse, the French news agency.
When the war looked inevitable last March, I bought shares in Halliburton ... Keep looking at Halliburton's bottom line. The profits will show up there long before the Exxons, Shells, and Texacos see their profits improved by Iraq. Unfortunately, American citizens won't see a dime returned on their "investment" in Iraq.
1. Come up with a lie, fabrication, exageration, etc.
2. Put it out in the media.
3. Have the talking heads repeat it over and over and over........
4. The lie takes on a life of it's own.
5. See if the results hurt the object of their scheme.
Of course, liberals believe this approach always works because they deeply believe that the vast majority of Americans are STUPID, ILLITERATE, UN-EDUCATED BAFFOONS.
Well, probably true for a small percentage :)
Uh yeh! It was reported Perot met with Clinton in private meetings twice during the campain! I think it was in NM?
You can almost bet this poll will be cited by Russert on Meet the Press tomorrow as gospel.
I agree with you. Presidents always poll poorly in August, anyway. It's the Dog Days, and no one, no one is paying attention to the next election.
But yours truly is, and he clicked on the Drudge article that led to the Newsweek story. Scrolled to the bottom of the page. The poll was of human beings over 18. I don't event think it was of "registered voters", much less likelies.
That's it. That's like taking a poll of fire hydrants and tombstones.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
Well, probably true for a small percentage :)
We know the exact number and percentage. 50,994,086 (48.4%)
See post #51
And replace Karl Rove with Joe Hadenuf. (Because he's a political mastermind, you know.)
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