Senators Approve Massive Tax Bill (6/27/97)
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Survey: GOP Congress Out Of Touch, Favors WealthyBut Clinton only has modest edge on handling the economy, while his approval rating dipsWASHINGTON (AllPolitics, June 30) -- Two-thirds of Americans believe the Republican-controlled Congress is out of touch, though President Bill Clinton earned only slightly more trust for his handling of the economy and budgetary issues, according to a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll. Meanwhile, two-thirds of those surveyed disapproved of Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr's inquiries into the president's past personal life. By a 61-35 percent margin, people who were surveyed said the GOP was out of touch with ordinary Americans. Asked about recent tax bills approved by Congress, 52 percent said the plans favored the rich and nine percent said the middle class, while 28 percent said both classes would benefit. The survey polled 1,013 adult Americans June 26-29, and has a margin of sampling error of between +/- 3 and +/-5 percentage points, depending on the question. Although Clinton earns higher marks than Republicans for his handling of the economy and a variety of budgetary issues, it's a small edge. Those surveyed favored the president 43-40 percent on taxes, 40-39 percent on the deficit, and 49-35 percent on Medicare. Clinton's overall approval rating has dipped from 65 percent last January to 59 percent now. One ominous note for the GOP was that by a 40-34 percent margin, people said they would like to see Democrats back in control of Congress. Regarding House Speaker Newt Gingrich, six in ten said Republicans should replace him as speaker, while 30 percent wanted to keep him. Meanwhile, two-thirds of the public thinks it was inappropriate for investigators working for Whitewater independent counsel Kenneth Starr to interview people about their knowledge of any extramarital affairs Clinton may have had while he was governor of Arknasas. The public is roughly split over whether Starr has been conducting his investigation in a fair and impartial manner, with 37 percent saying "yes," 33 percent "no," and 30 percent unsure. Here are more results:
CNN's Keating Holland contributed to this report. Other Polls:
President Clinton Is America's Most Admired Man (12/30/97) |
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