"strong support" registers at 20 percent, "somewhat support" at 49 percent."

[madfloridian]

That is the main statement in the WP poll which has a headline of "Poll finds broad bipartisan support for tax package." However it is tucked in at the bottom of the article.

Poll finds broad bipartisan support for tax package

Several have posted it here with the heading that 69% support Obama's tax package, or words similar.

Some 54 percent of all Americans support an extension of the Bush-era tax cuts for all taxpayers, including wealthy people and the middle class. It's this provision that generates the biggest partisan gap: 85 percent of Republicans say these tax cuts should be continued for all taxpayers; 38 percent of Democrats (31 percent of liberal Democrats) agree. Among independents, 49 percent back the full extension; 46 percent oppose it.

The mixed support for individual elements of the overall tax agreement adds up to somewhat soft support for package. A large majority backs the idea, but "strong support" registers at 20 percent, "somewhat support" at 49 percent.

That doesn't sound like broad support to me.

Another interesting point:

Majorities across party lines also oppose the provision on cutting the payroll tax for Social Security by two percentage points for most workers. The reluctance to back this specific tax cut may stem in part from a general resistance to any changes to the popular social insurance safety net.

It really doesn't matter what we think about it. They have already sent out the message it will be another "done deal", just like so many other done deals. Negotiated with the GOP, and mentioned in passing to the Democrats.

[Still a Democrat]

1. As someone that posted the 69%, I'll K&R this as well

It's no surprise that some support is softer in a compromise deal.

[madfloridian]

2. So add "strong" at 20% and "somewhat" at 49% and you get 69%

and call it support?

[Cant trust em]

6. Mile wide, but an inch deep. Still support though.

Just depends on your point of view, but I don't really think anything sneaky is going on here.

[Still a Democrat]

7. Of course

I oppose the estate and cuts for the welathy - with reservation an the Holday - so I'm a somewhat, but I support it on the whole.

[emulatorloo]

8. Hard to spin "somewhat support" as opposition don't you think?

"I am somewhat in favor" and "I am in favor" still equals "I am in favor."

They do sort out the numbers so we can see them, and further article calls it "SOFT SUPPORT"

FWIW I doubt many people are crazy enthusiasts for this thing.

[phleshdef]

11. Yea, I only "somewhat support" it in that I think its too much of a gamble not to do it.

I bet if you asked Barack Obama, he would only say he somewhat supports it.

[emulatorloo]

15. Article is also very clear about what this means - calls it "soft support"

"The mixed support for individual elements of the overall tax agreement adds up to somewhat soft support for package. A large majority backs the idea, but "strong support" registers at 20 percent, "somewhat support" at 49 percent."

[tblue37]

43. Actually, that's exactly what he did say. He said he had to include

stuff he didn't want to get stuff he really, really wanted. (He was fiercely, publicly, and vocally against extending the tax cuts for the wealthy.)

[somone]

3. Gotta Catapult The Propaganda

as usual

[emulatorloo]

13. It is pretty qualified, they call it "Soft Support" - Article is pretty clear here

The mixed support for individual elements of the overall tax agreement adds up to somewhat soft support for package. A large majority backs the idea, but "strong support" registers at 20 percent, "somewhat support" at 49 percent.

Seems like a fairly accurate way to characterize it.

So the article really isn't claiming any groundswell of support for every element of the package. that would be propaganda.

[EFerrari]

4. GMTA.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9764828&mesg_id=9764993

:)

[madfloridian]

19. Thanks, I posted similar in a GDP thread. It was ignored.

:hi:

[PhillySane]

5. oh yea

the PR machine is kicking in. Playing the numbers that work for them.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

9. And only 11% support all four main elements --

of the package. This "poll" is nothing but spin and propandana.

[Cant trust em]

12. Welcome to compromise.

Not everyone is going to get everything they want.

[madfloridian]

44. Our side has gotten very little that we want.

The wars continue abroad, the war on education grows, the war on Social Security is just getting started under a Dem president.

[ladjf]

10. The title of the article is classic media spin. To sum up what some

other posters have offered, 20% "strong support" and 49% "somewhat support" can't logically be added together to constitute another nonexistent category "Broad support". Further on 11% support all four of the items in the compromise.

[emulatorloo]

17. The article itself does just the opposite, calls it "somewhat soft support"

Headline is badly written that is for sure.

"The mixed support for individual elements of the overall tax agreement adds up to somewhat soft support for package. A large majority backs the idea, but "strong support" registers at 20 percent, "somewhat support" at 49 percent."

[Hell Hath No Fury]

14. Check out who the pollster was!

http://www.chrisrussellconsulting.com/news/index.php?ID=45

Meredith Chaiken 32, Democrat
Since graduating from Cornell University in 1998 with a degree in labor economics, Meredith Chaiken has been involved in numerous key Democratic races, including serving as John Kerry's deputy New Hampshire political director and developing critical GOTV models for Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm in 2006. She's currently a senior analyst at the Mellman Group in D.C., a firm that specializes in Democratic polling and general strategy. "I would say that I relish the analytical role I have now, but also draw on my campaign experience constantly-what it means to run a walk list, how hard it is for volunteers to knock on strangers' doors," she says. "It is important to me to be able to understand the constraints of both polling and running campaigns and to communicate effectively in both worlds."

Looks like O needed a poll that showed supprt for the bill and he got one. :eyes:

[Cant trust em]

18. I'm unfamiliar with this person. Who is she? nt

[Hell Hath No Fury]

20. A Democratic Frank Lutz.

Strict partisan. O needed a poll that showed America supported his plan and she provided him with one. As the Church Lady would say, "How conveeeeeenient!"

[emulatorloo]

21. Read the article. It says support is "soft" Headline overstates

[Hell Hath No Fury]

24. "Headline overstates"

To say the least! :D

[emulatorloo]

25. A journalism student would get a D- for that headline I think.

[Cant trust em]

23. Maybe a more progressive organization can get their own poll done. nt

[Hell Hath No Fury]

28. A credible poll should be -

100% independent of any partisanship.

[Cant trust em]

30. I'd be more concerned with the questions asked, rather than who is asking them. nt

[EFerrari]

29. I'm glad you mentioned this because I tried to check her out

but couldn't make much of the info I found.

[spanone]

16. all america hears is 'tax cuts' of course they approve

[dkf]

22. I'm torn.

Do we let people suffer now and pay more taxes in the future or pass this stimulus now hoping we can grow enough to institute higher taxes sooner.

Pick your poison.

[spanone]

26. andrea mitchell just claimed that '69% of ALL americans support the tax bill'

[Cant trust em]

27. Is your beef with the findings of the poll...

or extrapolating sampling data into a statement about the national population?

[spanone]

36. it's a ridiculous statement. ALL americans were not polled.

and she did say ALL americans

[Cant trust em]

39. The statement could have been more qualified, but it's mostly just language at this point.

The poll received over 1000 positive responses so the statistical model used is pretty sound. The confidence interval was probably pretty tight. She definitely could have phrased it more carefully, but the main point is still the same.

[madfloridian]

41. I don't trust any polls anymore.

They skew so many and word them so badly...they can get them to mean anything at all.

As I say, it simply doesn't matter what we think anymore. The deal was done without Dems being consulted, and the word was sent out it MUST pass...and it WILL pass.

It's always that way.

[Cant trust em]

42. Here is the breakdown from the ABC/WaPo poll.

Whether you think it was a push poll or not, its still interesting reading.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/postpoll_12132010.html

Take it easy.

[madfloridian]

38. Only 1001 were polled.

[Cant trust em]

40. Increasing the number of respondents at this point wouldn't likely change the number too much

1000 is actually fairly large from a statistical model purpose. The margin of error would shrink if you added more respondents, but the more you add, the higher likelihood that they wrap around the mean.

[Bonhomme Richard]

31. I don't give a shit who supports it or not.

The bill doesn't make any kind of sense...period.
Besides, if I were going to make a decision based on what the ignorant populace of this nation accept then I deserve what I get. These are the same people that think torture is OK.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

34. And like Sarah Palin....

:scared:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

32. But but but but...

Poll: 49% Support Tax Deal
Source: USA Today Gallup Poll

WASHINGTON — Americans are inclined to support the tax-cut deal negotiated by President Obama and congressional Republicans, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, but the compromise hasn't boosted optimism about the prospects for bipartisan action to address the nation's problems.
Even as leaders in both parties predict the package will pass Congress, the public apparently views the process that reached it with some skepticism.

Forty-nine percent of those surveyed support passage of the deal — a plurality but not quite a majority — while a third oppose it and nearly one in five say they're not sure.

By an overwhelming 51%-20%, they say the handling of the tax issue has made them more pessimistic rather than more optimistic about the ability of the government to address the biggest problems facing the country


http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-12-13-poll-tax-cut-deal_N.htm?csp=34news

[Nite Owl]

33. So much for winning over those

Independents, only the GOP is pleased.

[SoCalDem]

35. 69 % want an ice cream sundae

40 percent do not want more than .01% shit sprinkles
29 percent will accept .01% or more shit sprinkles

[Horse with no Name]

37. That is about the same number as the ones that

loved Bush beyond belief.

[progressoid]

45. Duh - it obviously has broad support...

with republicans.

:grr:

k/r

[Occam Bandage]

46. Shocking analysis: Compromises leave many somewhat pleased, few entirely pleased. nt

[madfloridian]

47. We gave our party a majority...so they would not have to compromise so much.

That is all we have done. Compromise with the minority.