WP:Most Not Paying Attention to Filibuster Debate(check this polling!!!)

[DeepModem Mom]

Opinion has changed on the filibuster, in a Washington Post/ABC poll in which Republicans are over-represented -- and the Washington Post doesn't know why??? (And check out the new wording in the second poll.)


Most Americans Not Paying Attention to Debate
Poll Finds Country Split Along Party Lines Over Judicial Nominees

By Richard Morin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, May 23, 2005; 6:50 PM


Americans are sharply divided along partisan lines over whether to eliminate the filibuster on judicial nominees in the U.S. Senate, but many are not paying particularly close attention to the issue, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News survey.

According to the poll, 43 percent favor eliminating the filibuster rule on judges while 40 percent want to keep it. Two-thirds of all Republicans support the rule change, while the same proportion of Democrats oppose it.

The survey also found that many Americans are paying little or no attention to the filibuster debate currently roiling the Senate....The latest Post-ABC finding that opinion is split on the filibuster issue differs from the results of other recent surveys. Those polls showed that opponents of abolishing the filibuster rule for judges outnumbered supporters by margins ranging from eight to more than 20 percentage points. A Post-ABC survey conducted last month that asked a different question found the public opposed 2-1 to changing Senate rules.

In the most recent survey, the question briefly explained the filibuster rule and noted the major Democratic and Republican arguments: "As you may know, the president nominates federal judges and the Senate votes whether to confirm them. A Senate rule called a filibuster allows a minority of senators to block a final vote on a judicial appointment even if a majority of senators supports the nominee. Republicans want to eliminate the filibuster rule for judges, saying it's unfair that a minority can block a vote by the full Senate. Democrats want to keep the filibuster rule for judges, saying the minority needs a way to block nominees that they strongly oppose. What about you: Do you prefer to eliminate the filibuster rule, or to keep the filibuster rule for judicial nominees?"

In addition to the wording of the question, the difference between the latest Post-ABC poll and other surveys could be due, in part, to the fact that the current Post-ABC News survey contains an unusually large percentage of self-described Republicans. Thirty-eight percent in the latest sample said they were Republicans, about seven points higher than the average in polls conducted this year by the two news organizations. The proportion of Democrats also was significantly below the yearlong average.

THE REASONS FOR THE LARGE NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS IN THE LATEST SAMPLE WERE NOT CLEAR....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/23/AR2005052301145.html

[xchrom]

1. lol -- wapo pulls her dress over her head!

wapo gets dumber with each passing week.

[Democat]

2. The "poll" was written by Republicans and asked mostly of Republicans?

Why even report on some right wing propaganda?

[bemildred]

3. Maybe they know the "filibuster debate" is horseshit.

Like everything else the Congress does in the light of day.

[gizmo1979]

4. 51% of the U.S can't

even spell Filibuster.

[SusanF_CA]

5. and Time Poll reported

http://pollingreport.com/congress.htm#Misc  

Time Poll conducted by Schulman, Ronca & Bucuvalas (SRBI)
Public Affairs. May 10-12, 2005. N=1,011 adults nationwide.
MoE ± 3.  
 
"Some Republicans in the Senate want to eliminate the
ability of Democrats to use the filibuster, or extended
debate, to block the Senate from voting on some of President
Bush's judicial nominees. Do you think the Republicans should
or should not be able to eliminate the filibuster in this
case?"
 
             Should Be          Should Not                
             Able To            Be Able To
             Eliminate          Eliminate            Unsure
5/10-12/05      28                 59                  14 

(edit--to fix table so that numbers were in correct place)

[DeepModem Mom]

6. Thanks, Susan, and welcome to DU! Given the events of today...

what was the purpose of this WP/ABC poll? To fraudently place the stamp of approval on the nuclear Senate rule change, which they thought inevitable?

[faithnotgreed]

7. thanks susanf and welcome to du