70% support Biden’s $1.9 Trillion Covid Relief bill, only 33% say package is too big
Pollemix News – March 10, 2021
As Congress prepares to pass President Joe Biden’s $1.9 Trillion Covid Relief bill today a Pew Research poll shows that Americans are largely in favor of the proposed package. Republicans have repeatedly denounced the measure as too costly, however, it appears that the public does not share their sentiments with only one-third of Americans expressing reservations about the size of the bill.
Despite today’s hyper-partisan climate, the bill has some bipartisan support among Republican voters with 41% in support of additional Government spending to combat the Coronavirus crisis. However, Republican leaning voters were more likely to view the spending in the bill as excessive with 61% against the current amounts proposed. In contrast only 11% of Democrats viewed the bill as too expensive. Overall 41% viewed the proposed spending as just right, versus 33% who said it spends too much and 25% who claimed the legislation does not spend enough.
The $1,400 stimulus checks promised in the bill are also broadly popular with 53% approval for the payment to be included in the relief spending according to a Monmouth University survey, however, 25% would like the check payment to be higher. Despite seeing support from their own constituents for at least components of the proposed legislation, Republican assembly members are likely to vote against the measure en masse. Nevertheless, Democrats will also vote along party lines resulting in the bill going into effect as they control all three chambers of Government.
Adding to the positive press for Biden’s first major legislative achievement is a Tax Policy Center analysis showing that the measure would give the poorest 20% of Americans a 20.1% income boost after taxes and that only 0.7% of the benefits would go to the richest 20% in the country.
The White House has repeatedly hailed the The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 as a sweeping and desperately needed bill to help those impoverished by the continuing economic consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic, whilst their Republican opponents have lambasted the legislation as wasteful and excessive. At present it appears that public sentiment is heavily in favor of the Biden administration and the GOP will need to find a new narrative if they want to win the PR war following the bill’s passage.
POLL: Are you in favor of Biden’s proposal for another round of $1,400 stimulus checks?
