U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Tuesday put a bill to extend the popular "cash for clunkers" program on the chamber's legislative calendar for consideration, hopefully within the next few days.Once again, Harry Reid is unable to count to 60 even on no-brainer legislation. What's more, the GOP wants to kill the one part of the stimulus that works. And even if this Rasmussen poll is accurate the program worked.But Reid's press secretary, Jim Manley, said Democrats were still seeking a needed agreement with Republicans to proceed on the legislation passed last week by the House of Representatives.
Fifty-four percent (54%) of Americans oppose any further funding for the federal “cash for clunkers” program which encourages the owners of older cars to trade them in for newer, more fuel-efficient ones.That still means even with Rasmussen's numbers, the program still was an overwhelming success. 35% of Americans who think it's a good idea still translates into tens of millions of Americans, only 250,000 or so who ran the program out of money in a month. Another 2 months worth seems like a no brainer, especially for all the Republicans worried about these "small business owners" coming out on the short end of the stick. Suddenly though, this is a program that the GOP despises. The numbers are basically identical to the ones before the program started, and it still blew through all its money in a month. That means there's still quite a demand for it.A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 33% of adults think Congress should authorize additional funding to keep the program going now that the original $950 million allocated for it has run out. Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure.
These numbers are virtually identical to the findings in mid-June just after Congress first approved the plan when 35% favored it while 54% were opposed.
I guess the GOP doesn't care very much about these small business owners after all if it means they might be more amenable to the Democrats with this program to boost their sales. Still, I'm betting this program gets its money. The GOP needs to be careful opposing this one.
Then again, the Democrats just as badly need to pass this.
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The point you make about small business owners, remember the "uproar" over GM "targeting" Republican car dealerships only a few months ago, is one that I guess I shouldn't be surprised is getting no play with the GOP. Of course they are going to turn around and bash the part of the population that A) sells cars and has had a hard year and a half or B) can afford to spend money on a new car, and therefor injects money straight into the economy thanks to the equivalent of a tax rebate. And, of course no one is going to call them out on this. Gawrsh, those crusty, scapegoating small business owners and middle Americans (some making over 250,000 I'd wager) sure hate America! Only in the world of the 24 hour news cycle and political gossip columns would such double talk not raise eyebrows.
even if this Rasmussen poll is accurate
Rasmussen has simply bailed on the notion of accuracy in the quest for headline-grabbing, wingnut-media-friendly polls. Compare Rasmussen's numbers to every other pollster's on Obama's job approval (and be sure to click on "See All President Obama Job Approval Polling Data" at the link): Rasmussen is routinely 10 to 30 points to the right of every other pollster -- including Fox News/Opinion Dynamics. Rasmussen's polls are not to be trusted in any way, shape or form anymore -- and it's high time we all called bullshit on them.
Sorry, here's the link.
Yeah, Rasmussen is a bit off. The point is, even Rasmussen's off polls were identical to six weeks ago, and Americans went to this program in droves. If the numbers haven't changed, it still means Americans want to trade in their clunkers in droves.
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