Tipsheet

Poll: Sweeping Support for Major Elements of Trump's New Immigration Proposal

Guy Benson
Guy Benson  |  August 10, 2017 10:30 AM

The latest Politico/Morning Consult nationwide survey contains plenty of ugly news for the White House, including the president's (40/55) approval rating, a new low in the series (which is nonetheless slightly better than the RCP average).  The intensity gap over Trump's job performance is another telltale sign: More than three-quarters of of Hillary voters strongly disapprove of his presidency, while just 41 percent of Trump voters strongly approve.  That latter figure is down from the mid-50's early in his term.  'The Resistance' cannot get enough of Russiagate, with a whopping 84 percent of self-identified Democrats listing the investigation as a "top" or "important" priority for Congress.  A substantial majority of voters support the bipartisan sanctions bill against Iran, North Korea and Russia that Trump signed into law over his own objections.  Just 25 percent oppose the measure's provision limiting the president's ability "to lift Russia sanctions."  A few bright spots in the numbers pertain to the RAISE Act immigration proposal the president introduced last week.  Several pillars of that bill enjoy  majority support:


As you can see, establishing a non-arbitrary points system that would prioritize immigrants with better skills and assets is quite popular, with just 27 percent opposed.  Another data point not included in that infographic also demonstrates how out-of-touch some members of the media are.  Some of them indignantly objected to English language proficiency as a beneficial factor in determining whether someone should be welcome to immigrate to this country.  By more than a two-to-one margin, respondents said that "English language ability" should be relevant to those decisions.  By 21 points, Americans also believe that a prospective immigrant's likelihood of needing government assistance should also play a role in these calculations.  Where people become more reticent is over ideas like limiting immigration based on family ties, and cutting legal immigration in half (which I think would have adverse economic impacts, and would contradict the GOP's mantra that it opposes illegal immigration, not "immigration" more generally, as the Left claims).  Overall, a (44/31) plurality favors passage of the legislation. That outcome may be quite unlikely in practice, but reinforces an interesting pattern: In many cases, President Trump's policies are viewed much more favorably than he is personally.  Because for many, it is personal.  These juxtaposed numbers are striking: 


Elsewhere in the poll, Republicans are neck-and-neck with Democrats on top economic issues, but Democrats enjoy a seven-point generic ballot lead over the GOP.  An unpopular Republican president, a motivated opposition, a demoralized conservative base, and a substantial generic deficit lead are all the makings of a wave building for next year.  That's why Congressional Republicans need to rack up some tangible achievements to infuse their own voters with more optimism and a sense of purpose; the GOP can also claim Democrats' alienating unpopularity as a mitigating political asset.  All is not well in Democratland: