A Country That Knows What It Wants

Published on Wednesday, 02 February 2011 01:21

Written by IBD Editorial

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Public Opinion: The latest IBD/TIPP poll finds that Americans want decisive action taken to solve some of our biggest problems. But they also recognize the difference between real problems and the fake ones that politicians dwell on.

Immigration, for example, is said to be the most delicate of issues. But when asked what "the most guiding factor" should be when it comes to U.S. immigration policy, 63% of Americans surveyed said national security.

And at a time of limited employment availability, only 20% said immigration should be guided chiefly by the U.S. economy's labor needs — a consideration long emphasized by business lobbyists. Only 11% wanted accommodation of illegal aliens to drive Washington's policy.

On other questions addressing separate hard-to-solve problems, a similar decisiveness was on show in IBD/TIPP's survey of 917 adults, nationwide, conducted Jan. 3-10, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3%.

On immigration, the public's views are strong. National security strongly won the day as the pre-eminent concern regarding immigration policy not only among the general population, but across ethnic groups too. Some 66% of whites surveyed said it should be the guiding factor, compared with 54% of blacks and Hispanics.

Not unexpectedly, 79% of Republicans agreed — but so did a majority of Democrats, 52% — as well as 62% of self-described independents. And every income group gave at least 60% support to security trumping other concerns when it comes to managing the nation's immigration.

Those surveyed were opinionated on tax policy too, with 71% saying its main object should be "generating new jobs," while only 20% said it should be "achieving parity between rich and poor." A minuscule 4% said the top factor should be "fulfilling new needs of expanded government."

Making job growth the priority was most popular with Republicans (82%), but also gained the support of an impressive majority of Democrats (60%) and nearly three-quarters of independents (73%).

Moreover, precious little disparity stood between segments of the population, with every age group, income group and ethnic group strongly supporting job creation as the chief aim of tax policy — by a percentage in the mid-to-high 60s at least.

Self-described Democrats supported income distribution the most, but by only 31% — a fascinating finding, considering how prominent class-warfare rhetoric is in Democratic campaigns.

Perhaps the most difficult problem facing the U.S. government is a potentially nuclear-armed Iran. Some 43% believe "preventing Iran's government from building or attaining nuclear weapons" should be our policy's "most guiding factor," while 34% thought it should be "reaching a negotiated settlement" with the regime. Undoubtedly, some favoring a settlement would want Iran threatened with force.

Only 14%, however, think "helping Iranians achieve democracy" should drive U.S. policy — interesting, considering that democratization was one of the rationales for the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Promoting Iranian democracy scored quite low among Democrats, Republicans and independents alike. Democrats favored a settlement with Tehran most, with 47% in support (compared with only 21% of Republicans and 34% of independents). By comparison, 56% of Republicans said it's crucial to make Iran free of nukes, beside 34% of Democrats and 42% of independents.

Regarding the alleged issue of climate change, the results may seem mixed, with 35% wishing "employment and other economic interests" to be the priority and 30% considering so-called global warming to be based on "questionable science requiring further research before going beyond modest actions." Some 27% viewed warming as a certainty constituting "a planetary emergency outweighing economic concerns."

That means a combined 65% favor only minimal or modest action. A 51% combined majority among Democrats believe this — another big discrepancy between the views of rank-and-file Democrats and their party's politicians, who view dealing with the climate as an imperative. Meanwhile, a combined 66% of independents want little or only minor steps taken against "climate change."

As media pundits insist that Americans find vigorous debate to be coarse and distasteful, the public itself sends a different message that many in Washington will find upsetting to their "can't we all get along" comfort zones: Keeping the homeland safe and generating jobs should take priority over fashionable concerns like the climate, utopian diplomatic visions, and dreams of social justice.

 Please tell me which of the following should be the MOST guiding factor when it comes to U.S. immigration policy?

Please tell me which of the following should be the MOST guiding factor when it comes to U.S. taxation policy?

Please tell me which of the following should be the MOST guiding factor when it comes to U.S. foreign policy pertaining to Iran?

Please tell me which of the following should be the MOST guiding factor when it comes to U.S. policy on global warming?

Source:  IBD/TIPP Poll,  Sample Size=917, Poll conducted Jan 3 to Jan 10, 2011

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