Poll: Despite Pundits' Claims, Americans Evenly Divided on 'Defunding' War

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Editor & Publisher/AP

In considering the showdown between President Bush and Democrats in congress over a war funding bill, pundits have generally observed that the Democrats are in a weak position since Americans allegedly oppose any move to tamper with "money for the troops." But is this really true?

A new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll finds otherwise. In fact, it reveals that slightly more back a "defunding" move than oppose it.

First, it shows that by 48% to 43% this group says the president should sign the funding bill which includes a timetable for withdrawal, rather than veto it, as he has promised to do.

Then asked if congress should stick to its guns if Bush vetoes the bill, and continue to deny funds unless withdrawal is accepted, 45% support this idea, while 43% back the president.


Read more: http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003569947

---

Are you reading this Democrats in Congress?

[underpants]

1. Despite to coordinated effort otherwise this poll says that once again-We were right

not just in what is the right thing to do but in the political aspect as well.

I can't say that I am surprised.

[xchrom]

2. again and again -- it's about authenticity -- it's about

showing up, standing up without equivocation for the politics{i.e. values} you believe in.

the american people want a genuine party of the left -- they want an authentic party of the left.

now is the dems will just do it -- the american people will reward them.

for a very, very long time.

[yellowcanine]

3. 48 to 43 is "evenly divided"? I don't think so.

[mike_c]

4. 5 percent difference is likely pretty close to the margin of error...

...which applies to BOTH sides of the issue, so that makes them pretty hard to distinguish from evenly divided. Of course, the errors could go the other way and make them more strongly divided. That's why they're errors....

[cqo_000]

5. 43% back the president?

I thought he only had 30% support for his open-ended war?

[Thor_MN]

6. So there's a small chance that it's even and a small chance that it isn't even close.

So in all odds, the headline is disceiving...

[gratuitous]

7. And the people have reached this conclusion . . .

By a 45-43 margin, the American people are in favor of de-funding this incredible mistake. And the people have reached this conclusion without any prompting or advocacy in the major media, figuring it out all by themselves, despite what the pundits keep telling them they should think.

What would the numbers look like if the media pretended to even a semblance of even-handedness on this?

[Larry Ogg]

8. Why would anyone support a war that was based on lies, lies and more lies...?

I presume the split is indicative of how well the deception is working in the corporately owned mass media compared to the truth found through reliable sources…

[enki23]

9. i hate to say it, but i can see why they're cautious anyway

because americans have a very short fucking memory. republican candidates in the future *will* use this against democrats who voted to defund, and that tactic *will* have some effect on the races. most people will forget the circumstances. they always do. most people will not think critically about future accusations. most never do. this means knee-jerk bullshit about these votes can and will work to a not inconsiderable extent. period. polls taken now, i would strongly predict, are next to meaningless about how this issue will affect future campaigns.

i hope, however, that it works anyway. some things are more important than career. i only hope we can overcome the handicap it *will* give the democrats in future elections.