While a slim plurality of all likely voters support President Obama’s jobs plan, 43% to 42%, independents overwhelmingly oppose it, 53% to 33%, according to a new poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies.
Even among Democrats, who support the plan 76% to 8%, many believe Congress should not, as Obama has relentlessly asked, “pass this bill now.” Democrats split, 47% to 47%, when asked if Congress should “pass right now” or “take a closer look” at the jobs bill. Overall, 69% reject Obama’s call for quick action.
The new poll also found that disapproval of Obama’s job as president is hardening as his support weakens. Similar to other recent national polling, POS found that only 43% of likely voters approved of Obama’s job as president compared to 53% who disapproved. More worrying for Obama, however, only 19% strongly approved, while 41% strongly disapproved. “Benefit of the doubt is giving way to real doubt,” Steven Law of Crossroads GPS, who bought some questions on the survey, said.
POS also asked about Obama’s plan for higher taxes, finding a much more balanced opinion than other national polls. Forty-six percent of likely voters agreed with the following anti-tax statement:
But 48% of likely voters agreed with this higher-tax statement:
“Class warfare does have the potential to give [Obama] short term yardage among some independents that he desperately needs,” Law said. Law advised Republicans to counter with the argument that, “Class warfare is bad economics for everyone.”
