CNN Poll: More Americans Credit Obama, Dems For Budget Compromise
By Steven Shepard // April 11, 2011 | 12:38 p.m.
Updated: April 13, 2011 | 9:55 a.m.
A plurality of Americans credits President Obama and congressional Democrats for the 11th-hour agreement that averted a shutdown of the federal government, according to a new CNN poll released Monday.
Fully 48 percent of Americans think Obama and Democrats were more responsible for the agreement, while just 35 percent credit Republicans in Congress; 11 percent volunteered that both were responsible, and 3 percent said "neither." Three percent of Americans were undecided.
Despite the fact that his overall approval rating ticked two points lower since the last poll in mid-March, a majority of Americans, 54 percent, approves of how Obama handled the budget negotiations; 45 percent disapproves. Obama's overall job approval rating sank to 48 percent, with half saying they disapprove.
Notably, Obama scores better than congressional leaders from both parties. Equal majorities, 54 percent, disapprove of how leaders of each party handled the negotiations. In fact, House Speaker John Boehner now has an upside-down job approval rating: 41 percent of Americans approve of Boehner, while 43 percent disapprove.
Overall, a healthy majority, 58 percent, approves of the budget agreement. Just 38 percent of Americans disapprove. Majorities of Democrats (66 percent) and independents (56 percent) support the agreement, but Republicans are split virtually down-the-middle, with 47 percent approving of the agreement and 49 percent disapproving of the deal.
CNN also surveyed respondents on some of the key policy riders favored by congressional Republicans - and found Americans are opposed to the cuts the GOP was seeking. Fully 65 percent of Americans think the federal government should continue funding Planned Parenthood -- though the question does not mention any of the services the organization provides, including abortion. (When asked if public funds should be used for abortions for women who can't afford them, 61 percent say they oppose using those public funds.)
A wide majority, 71 percent, thinks the government should continue to fund the Environmental Protection Agency and its efforts "to enforce regulations on greenhouse gases and other environmental issues." Only 28 percent favors legislation that would prevent the EPA from spending any money on those efforts. Even a majority of Republicans, 53 percent, wants the government to continue funding the EPA.
Americans even oppose axing funding for the new health care law. A majority, 58 percent, of Americans think the government "should continue to provide funding to implement the provisions of the new health care law," while only 41 percent favor legislation that would prevent the government from spending any money on implementation of the law.
The poll was conducted Saturday and Sunday, after the budget agreement was reached by Opinion Research Corporation. The pollster interviewed 824 adult Americans, for a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percent.
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