ABC Poll: Broad Majority Opposes Spending Additional $87 Billion in Iraq

[Karmadillo]

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/Politics/iraq_spending031002_poll.html

Oct. 2— Three weeks of White House lobbying for its Iraq package has failed to sway public opinion: A broad majority of Americans continue to oppose spending an additional $87 billion on the war and rebuilding effort there.

Sixty-two percent in this ABCNEWS/Nightline poll do not want to spend that kind of additional money, almost precisely the level of opposition that initially greeted the president's proposal. Thirty-six percent support the package.

President Bush's rating for handling the situation in Iraq is also flat, and near its career low. The public divides, with 50 percent approving and 47 percent disapproving. That's about where it's been all month, but down from 67 percent approval in June and a peak of 75 percent at the end of April, just before Bush declared the major fighting over.

If Congress does approve the $87 billion request, Americans fracture over how to pay for it. The leading option — selected by 35 percent — is to eliminate Bush's recent tax cut. Twenty-nine percent would cut spending on other programs to cover the cost, while 17 percent favor increasing the federal budget deficit.

more...

[impeach the gop]

1. and another 600 million

to find nothing but more bull shit lies on wmd

[Brucey]

2. Wow, a rock and a hard place for repugs.

The repugs in Congress have to pass it, but their constituents don't want it. Let's hope the sheeple kick 'em out of office!

[goforit]

3. Once again we have the phoney polls protecting Bush's pride -50%

Unbelievable!!!!

The press still fears the administrations repercussions.

Pathetic loosers in life!!!

[Brucey]

8. Agreed.

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. Everything is reduced to points in an opinion poll

As if the common man had the wisdom or knowledge to make an informed
judgement. That's why these polls always cast the rightwing in a favorable light.

[Voltaire99]

5. Consistently, one out of three Americans is thick

Thirty-six percent support the package.

That +30 figure is the touchstone of the Bush-era poll. If our Glorious Leader tomorrow were to accidentally start WW III, 36 per cent would call him courageous.

[Guaranteed]

6. I wouldn't say that.

I actually can't believe this poll. I hate spending the money on a war that shouldn't have happened in the first place, but our boys need at least some of it. I know of lot of it is pork, too. But we need to make sure we devote all of the resources needed to this thing to finish it off right.
Like I said, I can't believe that only 36% are willing to give more money. Is this really the "straw" for the American people? The MONEY? Not the lives we've lost, the allies we've alienated?
God Americans are frickin' stupid.

[Brucey]

9. Correcto!

There was no big uproar when we invaded (Huge approval ratings, though 80% of the people of the world were against us), there was no clammoring when we bombed the shit out of brown people (it was a love fest and entertainment to see shock and awe), there was no outrage when people were dying left and right... but as soon as chimpy asks for money, then the good old, high-principled American sheeple gets upset. Materialistic bastards.

[bleedingheart]

14. bingo!

[saigon68]

10. Our Boys "Need" none of it.

They should be brought home. this is an example of the tired reasoning and justification which brought about 58,500 deaths on our side and 5,300,000 (2 Million in Cambodia) deaths of everyone combined in a 16 year criminal war 1959-1975

You will NEVER FINISH IT OFF RIGHT </Rant over>

[The Magistrate]

18. The Cost Is Always The Problem, Mr. Looney

As the song says: "Everybody wants to go to Heaven; ain't nobody wants to die."

The unpopularity of paying for this offers excellent political opportunity: the proper line of attack is that every damn dime spent on Iraq is money that could be spent on needs here at home. Many people who would agree with us here on nothing else will agree with that, and better still, will vote accordingly.

[teryang]

7. 50 percent approve of policy?

But 62 percent don't want to pay for it? There's a major disconnect.

The rational bean counting typical of the peasants overcomes the mass mind which crushes out all insight and reflection.

[Brucey]

11. True. And also

the percentages you get are influenced by how you ask the question and how it is perceived. Lots of sheeple just won't criticize a president, no matter who it is, but particularly one who is perceived as religious or patriotic, so the percentage for approval of the president will be higher than approval of what he does or stands for.

[matcom]

12. FUCK these people. I SAY SPEND MORE!

NONE of these dolts polled marched in Boston or DC or LA or ANYWHERE i'll bet.

These fuckers probably 'went along with our pResident'.
These fuckers believe Saddam was linked to 9/11.
These fuckers were good sheeple.

NOW they oppose it when the bill comes due?

Fuck 'em.

we destroyed a country. we gotta pay for it.

Fuck 'em.

they should have thought about that when they were writing their 'Clinton did it' op-eds.

[gulliver]

13. So the Bushies will increase the deficit.

They like the deficit. It "starves the beast." They are trying to starve out domestic programs by driving the U.S. deep into debt. There is no way they will do anything to actually raise the money they are spending. That would be responsible.

No, Bush will just go on spending money he doesn't have, charging up the credit card bill our kids will have to pay. Americans aren't fooled by Bush's "something for nothing" BS anymore, though. The tide is turning. He isn't going to be able to hide a missing trillion dollars in his plans as he did during election 2000. People see that the numbers are going all wrong.

[Brucey]

15. You are right.

As Paul Krugman pointed out, the neocons use the trickle-down idea to mask their real goal: to wipe out programs such as social security. The want to force up the deficit so Congress will have no other choice but to cut social spending. Also, economic experts such as Rubin have noted that we are already in very dangerous territory and there is no good solution in sight. We are in deep doodoo regarding the future economy, and most of the problems are due to Bush's tax cuts. Okay, back to painting.

[teryang]

16. It is a continuing transfer of wealth from the public

...to the corporate rich who don't give a damn about anyone but themselves. It is little more than legalized larceny as far as the money goes. As far as the human lives that are concerned it is just brutal killing for no discernable outcome.

[ProfessorGAC]

17. People Will Smarten Up, Soon, To The Fact. . .

. . .that the $64 billion earmarked for military is NOT going to the troops or to their support. That number comes to $450k per troop for one year.

Since the basic support, the troop pay, living subsistence, and other benefits is already in the Pentagon budget, there is NO POSSIBLE WAY that the cost of supporting each and every troop in Iraq is $450k per year. This money is being used to replenish the arsenal expended in Iraq. This is NOT troop support money. It's money to rebuild the inventory!

When people begin to figure this out, they're gonna be pissed!
The Professor

[trapper914]

19. Bush reads the polls...

...just not the negative stuff. He'll see this poll and decide the people are right...we need to cut some other spending (social programs), AND we need to increase the deficit. "The people have spoken," Bushie will say.

So what's the pricetag so far? $100 bil, with another $87 bil to come? How much Homeland Security could we have bought with THAT money?