New CNN Poll Shows Public Supporting Obama & Rejecting House GOP on Debt Ceiling

12:13 pm EST July 21st, 2011 | Politics | 27 Comments

In CNN’s new poll on the debt ceiling we see that more people support the type of proposal being promoted by President Obama, and not the extremist offering from House Republicans. 34% support the GOP’s position of only spending cuts, while an overwhelming 64% support a mix of cuts and tax increases.

52% find the President has acted responsibly, while only 33% say the same of the House GOP — while 63% rightly say the Republicans have not acted responsibly.

If the the ceiling isn’t raised, only 30% say President Obama is responsible, while 51% would blame the GOP.

When they are asked what to cut and who to tax, people say hands off farm subsidies, pensions for government workers, medicaid, medicare, and social security. A thinner majority (52-47) supports defense cuts, while there is huge support (70%+) for ending subsidies to big oil, increasing the tax on private jets, and increasing taxes on those making over $250,000 a year.

This is an almost across-the-board win for the positions Democrats have mostly pushed — but the media and the right keeps acting as if the fringe tea party position has any serious support. It is seriously out of whack.

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27 Responses to “New CNN Poll Shows Public Supporting Obama & Rejecting House GOP on Debt Ceiling”

SaveFarris says:

July 21, 2011 at 12:22 pm

You and CNN are REALLY spinning this one, aren’t you.

* Question #14 could be more easily read: 98% are opposed to a deal involving only tax increases.

* Question #15: only 17% approve of Obama’s plan (a “clean” debt ceiling vote)

* Question #16: only 18% agree with Obama/Geithner that not raising the debt ceiling would be a “crisis”.

* Question #25: 75% support a Balanced Budget Amendment

Oh, and this all from a poll of “adults”. Which means the actual results were we looking at registered, much less likely, voters would swing even further in the Conservative direction.
SaveFarris says:

July 21, 2011 at 12:25 pm

Oh, and since we’re talking polls: Daily Kos has Obama losing to Romney. if even Kos can’t get a sample where Obama wins, what does that tell you?!?
Oliver Willis says:

July 21, 2011 at 12:33 pm

Shorter Farris: Look, over here!
Enlightened Liberal says:

July 21, 2011 at 12:37 pm

Here we have the basic problem with dealing with movement conservatives. They take everything their mouthpieces say to them at face value. However, their media lies to them, which someone with some intellectual curiosity can detect just by clicking through on the links on Townhall’s page. Apparently Ferris didn’t do that.

Townhall says:
“-In the Obama/Romney head to head 21% of undecideds approve of Obama and 61% disapprove. If you allocate them based on their approval/disapprove of Obama, Romney would lead 52-48.”

Interesting theory, especially if Kos/PPP didn’t survey Obama head-to-head against Multiple Choice Mitt.

But wait, they did:

http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2011/07/obama-in-perilous-shape.html
Obama in perilous shape
For the first time since last July Barack Obama does not lead Mitt Romney in PPP’s monthly national poll on the 2012 Presidential race. Romney has now pulled into a tie with the President at 45%.

So Townhall was dishonest and farris parroted it. Anyone surprised?
Christopher Foxx says:

July 21, 2011 at 1:42 pm

Oliver: but the media and the right keeps acting as if the fringe tea party position has any serious support.

And the Democrats and the left keep acting as if they should defer to the Repubs and the fringe.

Oh, that the Dems had even half the discipline of the right. They should grab every microphone they can find and just keep hammering home the brief message that the Repubs are drastically wrong and Americans know it.
Quaker in a Basement says:

July 21, 2011 at 2:37 pm

* Question #14 could be more easily read: 98% are opposed to a deal involving only tax increases.

Sure. The question could be read as a rejection of an option that wasn’t even offered. It could also be read as a seafood recipe.
mambochicken23 says:

July 21, 2011 at 3:52 pm

Sure. The question could be read as a rejection of an option that wasn’t even offered. It could also be read as a seafood recipe.

Ha!
Randy Brown says:

July 21, 2011 at 6:31 pm

Oh, that the Dems had even half the discipline of the right. They should grab every microphone they can find and just keep hammering home the brief message that the Repubs are essentially c*cks*ckers and Americans know it.

Fixed, QIB.
Zython says:

July 21, 2011 at 7:23 pm

* Question #16: only 18% agree with Obama/Geithner that not raising the debt ceiling would be a “crisis”.

I’m sure nothing could possibly go wrong with having a credit rating equivalent to that of Zambia.

* Question #25: 75% support a Balanced Budget Amendment

How about a Balanced Budget Amendment that stated that all states must return to the federal government in revenue an amount equal to what they take in? Wonder if the GOP would support that?
Dave in SoCal says:

July 21, 2011 at 7:49 pm

23. In another proposal, Congress would raise the debt ceiling only if a balanced budget amendment were passed by both houses of Congress and substantial spending cuts and caps on future spending were approved. Would you favor or oppose this proposal?

Favor 66%
Oppose 33%

Luckily for the majority of Americans polled, the Republican-controlled House has passed a Cut, Cap & Balance plan that actually exists on paper (as opposed to the Obama/Democrat vaporware plan which only exists in speeches and soundbites), and is awaiting the Democrat-controlled Senate to vote on it.

25. Would you favor or oppose a constitutional amendment to require a balanced federal budget?

Favor 74%
Oppose 24%
No opinion 1%

25a. In order to get the federal budget deficit under control, do you think it is necessary or not necessary to pass a Constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget?

Necessary 60%
Not necessary 38%
No opinion 1%

More good news! That CCB plan that passed the house and is waiting for a vote in the Democrat-controlled Senate includes a balanced budget amendment too.

What are Democrats waiting for?
Dave in SoCal says:

July 21, 2011 at 8:00 pm

New CNN Poll Shows ~~Public Supporting Obama & Rejecting House GOP on Debt Ceiling~~ Amazing Ability of Democrats To See Only What They Want To See and To Ignore What They Don’t

Looking at the poll with an open, non-partisan mind, I see the public is open to a plan that raises taxes on people who make more than them, a plan that cuts and caps spending and includes a balanced budget amendment, or a mix of the two.

Since the Democrats don’t have an actual, physical plan that exists outside of a teleprompter, but the Republicans do have a plan (in writing no less) that cuts, caps and balances, why don’t we just have the Senate pass the Republican plan and then we can put it on Obama’s desk and let him whip out the ol’ veto pen and demonstrate his unswerving commitment to raising taxes on those evil millionaire corporate jet owners. What’s the problem? 66% of Americans polled by CNN have his back, right?
Thad says:

July 21, 2011 at 8:34 pm

I think both sides are full of it. The debt ceiling debate is a sideshow. Obama has scored some political points from it, and all he had to do was take a trillion dollars away from people who need it? Hey, great; he can call it a win because he took almost as much away from people who don’t.

Assuming he even does that.

The debt ceiling is a pretty clear violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. It’s great that it helped convince an ambivalent public to enter World War I, but I’m pretty sure it’s served that purpose at this point.

I will say one thing, though: I’d love a balanced budget amendment. Wouldn’t it be great to see what Republicans would do when told “Okay, you can go invade a middle-eastern nation if you want, but you’re going to have to raise taxes or tell your constituents you’re going to cut Medicare”?

(I kid, of course. The problems with a no-exceptions balanced budget amendment are obvious, and once you start introducing exceptions you may as well not have one at all. Plus we’ve already seen how Republicans go to war without paying for it: they just don’t include it in the budget.)
Zython says:

July 21, 2011 at 8:41 pm

Dave, can you tell me why Republicans are supporting crashing the market again and ruining America’s credit rating? Why should the Dems negotiate with economic terrorists?

What are Democrats waiting for?

We’re waiting for you to convince us that it’s not a shitty idea that will cripple future investment. And since ever idea that the GOP has had for the last 50 years have all been shitty ideas that cripple something, I’m not inclined to believe that this is going to be any different.
Christopher Foxx says:

July 21, 2011 at 9:53 pm

Foxx: the Repubs are drastically wrong and Americans know it.

Randy Brown: the Repubs are essentially c*cks*ckers and Americans know it.

Fixed, QIB.

I don’t see the fix. What’s wrong with cocksuckers? I bet most folks here would miss it if everyone stopped that particular activity.

(Yeah, yeah. I get you were trying to emphasize your disgust. But I don’t see that echoing and emphasizing my point is “fixing” it. That’s usually reserved for “correcting” something someone wrote to show that they were wrong in what they wrote.)
Christopher Foxx says:

July 21, 2011 at 9:55 pm

Dave in SoCal: Looking at the poll with an open, non-partisan mind…

When SoCal Dave starts with an opening like that, you know you can ignore the rest of it.
Quaker in a Basement says:

July 21, 2011 at 11:19 pm

the Democrats don’t have an actual, physical plan

The last 89 times the budget limit was raised, the Democratic and Republican plan was…raise the limit.

It’s only this time that the Tea Party radicals decided to hold the limit–and the world economy–hostage to their ideological doctrine. The Democrats plan is the same as it always was…raise the limit.
Dave in SoCal says:

July 22, 2011 at 11:44 am

The Democrats plan is the same as it always was…raise the limit.

Of course. The only Democrat plan is to spend more. What they don’t have a plan for, despite the false claims of our noble President, is to reduce spending and cut the deficit. Nothing that exists outside a teleprompter, that is, as I noted above.
Dave in SoCal says:

July 22, 2011 at 12:05 pm

Dave, can you tell me why Republicans are supporting crashing the market again and ruining America’s credit rating? Why should the Dems negotiate with economic terrorists?

It’s only this time that the Tea Party radicals decided to hold the limit–and the world economy–hostage to their ideological doctrine.

If an agreement is reached to raise the debt ceiling but nothing meaningful is done in terms of deficit reduction, the U.S. would likely have its rating cut to the AA category, S&P said.

Link

There is only one actual, real, physical plan currently available that meets the S&P requirements for deficit reduction, and that’s the house-passed CCB/BBA. Which Harry Reid and Senate Democrats just shot down in a straight party-line vote.

Sure, tell us some more lies about how it’s Republicans threatening to “crash the market” and “holding the world economy hostage”. It’s a progressive specialty.

Oh, and Quaker, I just loved the “Tea Party radicals” bit. because you know, reducing gov’t spending and balancing the budget are such crazy, radical ideas. Only those insane teabaggerz would think it’s a good idea. Apparently, 66% of the people CNN polled are teabaggerz. Who knew? But thanks for the chuckle!
Dave in SoCal says:

July 22, 2011 at 12:07 pm

When SoCal Dave starts with an opening like that, you know you can ignore the rest of it.

I understand. We wouldn’t want your head to explore.
Dave in SoCal says:

July 22, 2011 at 12:10 pm

Wouldn’t it be great to see what Republicans would do when told “Okay, you can go invade a middle-eastern nation if you want, but you’re going to have to raise taxes or tell your constituents you’re going to cut Medicare”?

Like Democrats totally did with Obama and Libya, right? Because we wouldn’t want them to be hypocrites or anything.
Dave in SoCal says:

July 22, 2011 at 12:15 pm

“The Democrat-led Senate’s failure to both produce a budget and pass the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act of 2011 underscores the Democrats’ irresponsible commitment to the status quo,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said in a statement after voting for the bill. “While the president and Senator Reid refuse to produce a plan to deal with our debt crisis, Republicans will keep working to meet the nation’s fiscal challenges.”

“Senate Democrats have defied the will of the American people who overwhelmingly support real spending cuts, caps on future spending, and a balanced budget to create a better environment for private-sector job growth,” House Speaker John Boehner said.

Indeed.

Link
Enlightened Liberal says:

July 22, 2011 at 12:27 pm

Davey boy, next time just post a link to Fox News in the first post, that way you don’t have to type 5 posts of regurgitated RNC talking points.

Hope this helps.
Quaker in a Basement says:

July 22, 2011 at 12:50 pm

Like Democrats totally did with Obama and Libya, right? Because we wouldn’t want them to be hypocrites or anything.

Missing the point, Daveydave. The Dems aren’t the ones calling for a balanced budget amendment.
Quaker in a Basement says:

July 22, 2011 at 12:53 pm

Oh, and Quaker, I just loved the “Tea Party radicals” bit.

Good, because the label fits. The debt limit has been raised 89 times in the past under both Democratic and Republican Congresses and Presidents. This time around, even as Republican leaders warn that the debt limit is not a toy, the radical faction of the Congressional GOP has begun to insist it will not vote to raise the limit under any circumstances whatever!

Radicals and crazies. Deal with it.
merl says:

July 22, 2011 at 2:53 pm

I forget the last blog that dave trolled all day long, I guess he was finally banned. He’s been banned at a lot of places so now he bores us to death with Fox talking points until OW bans him.
Zython says:

July 22, 2011 at 11:27 pm

If an agreement is reached to raise the debt ceiling but nothing meaningful is done in terms of deficit reduction, the U.S. would likely have its rating cut to the AA category, S&P said.

50% chance of a downgrade, huh? Well, that’s certainly much lower than the odds of the Republican plan being an abysmal failure. I’ll hedge my bets. Also, if you guys were really concerned about spending, why didn’t you guys pass spending cuts in the budget? Why are you fighting your own financial plan?

Also, here’s a fun tidbit I learned about a Balanced Budget Amendment. Did you know that all of our wars and armed conflicts have been financed through debt? That means, if the amendment passes, no more of your precious wars.*

*Before you say anything, I’m fine with giving up the action in Libya.
LongHairedWeirdo says:

July 24, 2011 at 12:41 pm

There is only one actual, real, physical plan currently available that meets the S&P requirements for deficit reduction, and that’s the house-passed CCB/BBA. Which Harry Reid and Senate Democrats just shot down in a straight party-line vote.

I *do* love how Republicans pass an unrealistic, job-and-economy-destroying bill, and then claim that it’s the One And Only Way because they’re the only people batshit-insane enough to pretend it’s sensible.