President Joe Biden is on the best of the President’s honeymoon, dating back to at least 1993 when Bill Clinton was born.
An online special edition of the CNBC All-America Economic Survey that focuses on the Biden agenda finds its approval rating at a sky-high 62%, beating initial presidential ratings by Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. In fact, Biden’s initial rating is 18 points higher than Trump’s.
The survey of 1,000 people carried out earlier this month shows that Biden agrees with a majority for his dealings with the economy and for the unification of the country. 65 percent of the public are in favor of his previous measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Unlike Trump, Biden has “made coronavirus his most important issue in office and throughout the campaign,” said Jay Campbell, Hart Research partner and Democratic pollster for the poll. “And the health and economic plans he has put forward are getting a lot of public response.”
Biden also benefited from taking office with approved vaccines and hopefully the worst pandemic behind the nation, Campbell said.
But in light of the bitter divisions in the country before, Campbell added, “I find the fact that there is even a honeymoon shocking to that extent.”
The poll, which shows a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, also found strong support for some of Biden’s key issues, including his proposed $ 1.9 trillion relief bill, the increase in the minimum wage, the widening of the Health insurance and the fight against inequality.
Focus on pandemic
It also warned Biden: When it comes to what Americans think are their most immediate priorities, the main issues are fighting the virus, creating jobs, and making things easier for businesses and individuals.
For example, 78% said ending the pandemic should be the # 1 priority. Tackling climate change is only a top priority for 29%, although another 29% say it is important and should be addressed this year.
The numbers for raising the minimum wage are similar. Only 30% say this should be a top priority, another 29% say it is important this year. 54 percent say a minimum wage of USD 15 an hour is the right level, and another 10% think it is too low, only 36% think it is too high. This support remains practically unchanged even when people are asked if it is appropriate for their region. It continues, although many believe that increasing the minimum wage could lead to higher prices or job losses.
For example, 83% said that raising the minimum wage would lead to higher prices, but 59% of this group still think $ 15 is right or too low. While 74% believe that a higher minimum wage could result in job losses, 53% of that group still believe that $ 15 is the right number or too low.
“Individual states have taken action on this with varying degrees of success, and it’s in the political bloodstream. So it’s not as controversial as it was three to five years ago,” said Micah Roberts, partner of Public Opinion Strategies, Republican pollster Roberts however, indicates that overall support is lower in rural communities.
The poll shows that Americans reject the economy. 77% describe it as just or bad and 23% say it is good or excellent. However, 36% see the economy improve over the next year, compared to 32% who believe it will get worse and 32% who believe it will stay the same.
Vaccine concerns
While Biden gets high marks for dealing with the pandemic, Americans don’t think so that vaccines are being distributed. More than two-thirds say the government did a bad or fair job distributing vaccines, although 60% say it will get better in the coming year.
Americans have no apparent preference for either of the two approved vaccines, but about a third said they won’t take either, a sign that reaching herd immunity in the US will be challenging. Around 11% choose Moderna or Pfizer, respectively, and 43% say they have no preference. Around 7% say they have already been vaccinated. The groups least willing to take the vaccine include independent voters, Trump voters, and women ages 18 to 49.
In other results of the survey:
- Corporate Donations: Americans are 63-37% ahead of their support in the decision of corporations to stop donations to members of Congress who voted not to confirm the election
- Climate change: 59% believe climate change is a serious problem that should be addressed, and are 50-30% behind the resumption of the Paris Climate Accords.
- Made in America: 64% said they were more likely to buy a product made in America, and 70% said they would be willing to pay more for such a product. But it seems like paying 10% more is a threshold at which Americans wouldn’t be willing to pay more for a US-made product.
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