archived: 24 - 30 Jul, 2005 Back Next
TUMBLING TUMBLE WEED
Democracy Corps has published its most recent polling: -- Democracy Corps Here are the pertinent highlights:
Majorities indicate the country is headed in the wrong direction and consumer confidence tumbling back below its 20-year average after some small gains in June.
Bush’s job approval remains well below 50 percent.
On the one hand, support for the decision to go to war is declining and a growing number of Americans believe the war has not been worth the cost (44 percent worth it, 53 percent not worth it). Majorities say the war has made both the U.S. (54 percent) and the world in general (52 percent) less safe from terrorism. And by an 18-point margin (36 percent agree, 54 percent disagree), they reject the argument that a withdrawal from Iraq would bring more terrorist attacks here at home.
On the other hand, a full 57 percent in the NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll say it is extremely important (31 percent) or very important (26 percent) that “America maintain its military and economic commitment there until Iraq is able to fully govern and police itself.’ Similarly, in the FOX poll, 51 percent say U.S. troops should stay in Iraq ‘as long as it takes to establish a stable, free government in Iraq.’ And the number of Americans who see Iraq as part
of the larger war on terrorism is now up to 61 percent. So, while opposition to the war and frustration with its progress continue to grow, Americans nonetheless believe we are now committed to finishing the job, despite the fact that neither the Bush administration nor the American public seem to have a detailed idea of what benchmarks must be achieved before we reach that goal.
Democracy Corps also notes that while Bush’s ratings on specific issues have been low before, his personal characteristics had traditionally remained high. That trend is slipping now:
With numbers like these, it is time that Democrats stand and define their values and policies. America is waiting.
Last Update: 03/23/2006
