Posted on 06/02/2007 2:42:38 PM PDT by new yorker 77
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
There’s a simple reason the immigration bill being debated by the U.S. Senate is unpopular with voters—the general public doesn’t believe it will reduce illegal immigration. And, in the minds of most voters, that’s what immigration reform is all about.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 16% of American voters believe illegal immigration will decline if the Senate bill is passed. Seventy-four percent (74%) disagree. That figure includes 41% who believe the Senate bill will actually lead to an increase in illegal immigration.
If voters had a chance to improve the legislation, 75% would “make changes to increase border security measures and reduce illegal immigration.” Just 19% would” make it easier for illegal immigrants to stay in the country and eventually become citizens.”
Voters who believe that the current bill will succeed in reducing illegal immigration favor its passage by a 51% to 31% margin. Those who believe the bill will lead to even more illegal immigration oppose its passage by a 70% to 12% margin.
Overall, despite a major push by the President and others over the past week, support for the Senate bill has not increased at all. In polling conducted last night (Tuesday, May 29), 26% of voters favor passage of the bill. That’s unchanged from the 26% support found in polling conducted the previous Monday and Tuesday. Forty-eight percent (48%) of voters remain opposed.
Eighty-one percent (81%) of American voters are closely following news stories about the issue, including 37% who are following it Very Closely. Those with the highest interest in the issue oppose the legislation by a 3-to-1 margin (69% to 23%). By a 55% to 15% margin, those following the story Very Closely believe the bill will lead to increased levels of illegal immigration.
Unaffiliated voters are now more opposed to the bill than either Republicans or Democrats. Among those who don’t identify with either of the major parties, 22% support the Senate bill while 57% are opposed.
Some supporters of the bill have tried to suggest it is politically popular by citing polling data for selected features of the bill. However, President Bush yesterday implicitly acknowledged the strong public opposition to the bill by stating that elected officials will need political “courage” to pass the measure. Senator Jon Kyl (R), a major supporter of the legislation, acknowledged in interviews that the lack of support measured by Rasmussen Reports is an accurate reflection of the public mood.
Rasmussen Reports polling, like that of other firms, has found that Americans may be willing to accept a compromise proposal that includes legalizing the status of the 12 million illegal aliens already living in the United States. Sixty-five percent (65%) said they would accept such a compromise provided that it accomplished the primary goal of reducing illegal immigration. However, arguing about the nuances of amnesty, guest-worker programs and other provisions will do nothing to build popular support without proof that the government is serious about controlling the border.
Seventy-two percent (72%) of voters believe it is Very Important for “the government to improve its enforcement of the borders and reduce illegal immigration.”
Many times, voters doubt that reasonable alternatives exist. But, 68% of Americans believe it is possible to reduce illegal immigration while just 20% disagree. A New York Times/CBS News poll found a similar result--82% believe the federal government could do more to reduce illegal immigration.
The belief that the issue could be addressed adds to the frustration of those who oppose the Senate bill. Sixty-six percent (66%) believe it doesn't make sense to debate new immigration laws until we can first control our borders and enforce existing laws.
Other recent surveys have found that Senator John McCain (R), a strong proponent of the Senate bill, has slipped to third place in the race for the Republican Presidential nomination. President Bush’s Job Approval ratings have fallen to the lowest levels of his Administration since the immigration debate began dominating the news.
Rasmussen Reports also provides continuously updated favorability ratings, ideological perceptions, and general election match-ups for all Republican and Democratic candidates. Results for the Generic Congressional Ballot are updated monthly. The President’s Job Approval ratings, which recently fell to all-time lows, are updated daily.
Rasmussen Reports regularly tracks public attitudes towards Congress, the War on Terror, and other topics. Rasmussen Reports also continuously updates favorability ratings and general election match-ups for all Democratic and Republican Presidential candidates along with ratings for Members of Congress, Other Political Figures, and Journalists.
Crosstabs are available to Premium Members only.
Rasmussen Reports is an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information.
The Rasmussen Reports ElectionEdge™ Premium Service for Election 2008 offers the most comprehensive public opinion coverage ever provided for a Presidential election.
Rasmussen Reports’ Election 2006 coverage has been praised for its accuracy and reliability. Michael Barone, Senior Writer for U.S. News & World Report and co-author of The Almanac of American Politics, mentions, “One clear lesson from the Republican victory of 2004 and the Democratic victory of 2006 is that the best place to look for polls that are spot on is RasmussenReports.com." And University of Virginia Professor Larry Sabato states, “In election campaigns, I’ve learned to look for the Rasmussen results. In my experience, they are right on the money. There is no question Rasmussen produces some of the most accurate and reliable polls in the country today.”
Rasmussen Reports was also the nation's most accurate polling firm during the 2004 Presidential election and the only one to project both Bush and Kerry's vote total within half a percentage point of the actual outcome.
During both Election 2004 and Election 2006, RasmussenReports.com was the top-ranked public opinion research site on the web. We had twice as many visitors as our nearest competitor and nearly as many as all competitors combined.
Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an independent pollster for more than a decade.
This national telephone survey of 800 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports May 29, 2007. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
FYI
Does anyone in the States understand that border security is an issue of national security?
26 percent and still the elected hooha are going to try to shove it up our collective wazoos?
And the pres. is saying we’re unAmerican?
Crappola.
Flies in the face . . .
The House is going to have to kill this garbage.
BTTT
Note to politicians — We do not want to hear from you until you SECURE THE BORDER!!!!
Really. Not a word.
Seems the politicos are always quoting polls, so I hope they quote this one.
Just for the fun of it I’m going to say it: The poll rates lower than the POTUS’s and the Congress.
So, if only 16% believe that illegal immigration will decline following passage of this bill, and 26% favor that, does that mean that 10% favor the bill consciously knowing it will do zip to stop the flow and may actually increase it? That’s 1 in 10 very cynical voters. Thought there were more.
Even if this bill did secure the border, do the polled people realize this bill will bring us tens of millions more people in the short term via the amnestied 12 million illegals be allowed to bring in their families?
I can probably guess.
Rameriz
chavez
Gonzolez
etc.
Very interesting. What is this really saying? To me it says that despite a major media effort by the president and Staff (Tony Snow) the support blitz does nothing. In fact, support for the amnesty bill has dropped even lower.
Translation? NOBODY believes President Bush or anyone associated with him.
No wonder his "closest and most trusted aides," White House counselor Dan Bartlett, up and quit. Dan has worked with President Bush for 14 years.
It’s probably farmers, construction companies, cleaning companies, restaurant owners, and everyone else hiring illegal laborers.
dicken, your master, is bought and sold. Agricultural industry, construction industry, hospitality and entertainment industry...promises of future jobs in the private sector, maybe a federal judgeship...
that is 26% of the illegals support it....
it is more like 2.6% of the US LEGAL population that supports this bill....
1. Illegals can NEVER become citizens. (They become permanent "guest workers," after all fines are paid).
2. The children of these "guest workers," (even if born in the US) are not citizens.
This seems to have worked for Germany, it should be able to work here.
BTW, what percentage of the Illegals in the US even want to become citizens?
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