“Americans strongly oppose giving the president more power at the expense of Congress or the courts, even to enhance national security or the economy,”according the Associated Press-National Constitution Center poll.
“There is clearly a concern about executive power and the balance of power that comes out in a couple of different ways,” said Joseph Torsella, president of the Philadelphia-based organization. The nonpartisan center is dedicated to educating the public about the Constitution.
Americans. strongly. oppose.
Fundies? Leftys? Greenies? Republicans? Democrats? Indies?
Yeah. Americans. I think it means all of us. While everybody rants on about lies. and lipstick on pigs, it seems our fellow citizens are hipper than we think.
The public is more reluctant to expand the president’s powers than those of Congress.
Two-thirds of Americans oppose altering the balance of power among the three branches of government to strengthen the presidency, even when they thought that doing so would improve the economy or national security.
I wonder if this will move Dems on the Senate Judiciary Committee to action:
In one area, the poll found Americans clearly on Congress’ side. They said Congress should have the power to require senior presidential aides to testify before House and Senate committees. . .
I found it interesting and reassuring that the poll respondents had “overwhelming opposition to the government’s power to take private property for redevelopment” and to “amending the Constitution to allow foreign-born citizens to be president.”
I was also pleased that a majority of respondents said “same-sex couples should be entitled to the same benefits as married, heterosexual couples.”
Just some good news, it seems to me. If only we could somehow use it to breach the divide among us and really talk among ourselves about how to restore our country and survive the coming financial markets crash. We need each other now.
The survey of 1000 adults was conducted nationwide Aug. 22-29 and had a +/- margin of sampling error of 3.1% points.
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Heads will roll after this I think. I can already hear Patrick Leahy stomping his foot, roaring and cursing up a storm, and beating Michael Mukasey to within an inch of his pathetic little smirk with a rolled up sternly worded letter. Jesus, if this keeps up they’ll have to outlaw polling, and Nancy Pelosi will have to hold another press conference with Harry Reid at her side staring at the floor shaking his head in disgust and explain to these two thirds of Americans how she is a “serious person not to be trifled with” and how she’d impeach Bush right fucking now if only he would let her do it, as soon as they have enough votes.
The rethugs had better stay out of their way if they know what’s good for ’em.
Fine thanks, and you? 😉
Who woulda’ thunk? Do you suppose anyone in the government will get the drift from us, Amerikans?
The current collapse of some major banks and a major insurance company just might wake some people up, eh?
Thank you for this, pf8!
I think Edger may be correct on this:
is a parallel real world that the TV doesn’t know about. The polls and pundits I keep seeing don’t mesh with the real world. They freak me out because they make me feel that people are hopelessly stupid. This does give me hope.
If people feel this way why can’t they translate this into politics? Why do they keep voting in the big daddies who are authoritarian, Imperial Presidents? God I’m tired of watching the world though the looking glass of the TV.
On the other hand it always seems like maybe we can, we can do it. Seems like we could but people would have to somehow connect the two stories. Even I get caught up in the winning part and disconnect from the actual results. It’s like a maze in which we come out at the same place no matter what.
Thanks for the ray of hope p8. Hows Amsterdam? I’m getting a passport next week and am cruising the net wistfully looking at other countries, greener pastures, oasis’s of imaginary sanity. New Zealand looks good. If only the people who want the system of checks and balances would prevail these dreams of escape to another land would be just pleasant daydreams.