Posted on 03/09/2006 5:19:09 PM PST by Sharks
(AP) Californians' views on illegal immigration have softened over the last two decades, with an increasing number seeing it as beneficial to the state's economy, according to a new statewide poll released Thursday.
The Field Poll showed that 47 percent of Californians see illegal immigration as having a favorable impact on the state while 45 percent see it as having an unfavorable impact. That split narrowed considerably from 1982, when just 19 percent saw it as favorable while 75 percent saw it as unfavorable.
The poll noted that registered voters (26 percent) and non-Hispanics (33 percent) were less likely to view illegal immigration as favorable, compared to nonvoters (64 percent) and Hispanics (75 percent). Among registered voters, only about a quarter of Republicans saw it as positive while Democrats were more divided.
With the state's unemployment rate at less than 5 percent, seven in 10 Californians believe illegal immigrants are mainly doing jobs other residents don't want. That's nearly twice the percentage (38 percent) that agreed in 1982, in the midst of a prolonged recession, according to the poll.
Opposition for giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants seems to be eroding, with 52 percent opposing the idea and 44 percent in favor of it, the poll showed. A year ago, Californians opposed the idea, 62 percent to 35 percent. Survey respondents also generally favored a proposal to reform immigration laws to legalize temporary workers, 65 percent to 27 percent.
Researchers interviewed 500 adults - 337 registered voters and 163 nonvoters - by telephone from Feb. 12-26. The poll has a sampling error rate of 4.5 percentage points.
Thank God we have representative government, with some semblance of rational, thought-out decision making, rather than the angry masses ruling via direct voting.
Somehow I don't think that traditional Americans are gonna have a substantial margin of majority. Utopia for some. We'll see what it does to this nation.
Yeah, I figured. That's what they did on the last poll. The data was overwhelmingly against open borders, but they found one scrap that somewhat favored them, twisted it and headlined it.
Maybe if we ban all abortions that us white folk are getting, it won't be so bad?
The last CA Field Poll on this issue was much more extensive, by the way.
This one is a joke.
Let me guess! Illegal aliens and their families were polled and found to be supportive of illegal aliens?
Ahhh yes, the fruits of the morality that we've chosen as a nation.
You got it!
Here's the September CA poll.
http://field.com/fieldpollonline/subscribers/RLS2171.pdf
81% expressed some level of concern about illegal immigration.
Hmmm...looks like little has changed since September but the Field sample and the media spin.
The poll that you linked to show that the voters agree with Bush in opposing vigilante groups.
Maybe you wrote their headline.
Thanks for the link! Do you mind if I use it on some threads?
Sure. Have fun misrepresenting it, as your posts here show that you are determined to do.
Misrepresenting? It speaks for itself.
Here's the new one:
http://field.com/fieldpollonline/subscribers/RLS2185.pdf
"Yes I Know that you want to deport the illegals, but that is not being discussed in DC."
Red herring. I never said anything like that. I just want our border patrol properly manned, maybe a fence/wall, and no amnesty. Never said anything about deporting them all, though a certain percentage wouldn't hurt.
How many had to answer the questions in Spanish?
Leave the Illegals alone.
Arrest, convict, fine and incarcerate for a minimum of ten years all those that are hiring illegals.
And yes I mean the rich old couple with their maid too. Wrong is wrong and illegal is illegal.
If they can't get work, there is not reason for them to be here.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.