Polling Project, Fifth Release
Like the fourth release, the fifth release of the polling project focuses on Iraq. It covers two questions, #14 and #15, which describe two different troop deployment proposals:
All Dem Rep Ind
Strongly Support 15.6 5.2 29.2 13.7
Support 38.2 28.2 49.3 38.0
Oppose 24.0 30.7 16.0 24.6
Strongly Oppose 22.2 35.9 5.6 23.7
Q15. A new troop deployment plan was proposed recently. The plan is to withdraw US troops from Iraq but to keep them close by in neighboring countries like Kuwait to be sent back in if they are needed to maintain civil order. Do you, strongly support, support, oppose or strongly oppose this new troop deployment plan for Iraq?
All Dem Rep Ind
Strongly Support 11.8 8.8 17.9 9.5
Support 51.5 50.5 46.8 56.4
Oppose 22.3 25.1 23.6 18.7
Strongly Oppose 14.4 15.6 11.8 15.4
The second proposal might look familiar to many on the blogosphere. This is because, as I understand it, it is the proposal made by Congressman John Murtha back in November. As you can see from the numbers, it polls higher than the "stay the course indefinitely" proposal that many commentators, especially those who are supportive of the Bush administration, have argued we must follow. Overall, 63% of the country support Murtha's proposal, while 55% of the country supports the "stay the course" proposal.
What is perhaps most stunning about the Murtha proposal is how it is supported almost exactly the same by Democrats (59.3%), Republicans (63.7%) and Independents (65.9%). Considering the size of these sub-samples, those differences are within the margin for error. The non-partisan nature of support for Murtha's plan stands in sharp contrast to the "say the course" plan, which features only 33% support from Democrats, and 79% support from Republicans. The broad support for Murtha's plan also stands in sharp contrast to the November vote on his plan in the House of Representatives, when only 3 members of Congress actually cast a vote in favor.
Looking a little more closely at these numbers, I also notice something else. Murth'a proposal does not have a lot of strong support or strong opposition. I think this indicates both that people are not familiar with his proposal, and that people are very, very interested in hearing new ideas about how to deploy our troops in relation to Iraq. Relating to the latter, the country is divided along partisan lines over Bush's plan, but wants to hear alternatives. Relating to the former, it is particularly interesting that in all the media fury over Murtha suggesting troop withdrawal, that the nation is still so unfamiliar with his plan, yet still very willing to listen to it and support it.
If only this was a debate that the media and the Republican Noise Machine actually waned to have. Instead, they have focused on attacking Murtha's personally, and even on attempts to slander his service record in order to keep a real debate on troop deployment off the table. People want to hear alternatives on Iraq, and they like what Murtha has proposed. Republicans would rather slander a veteran. If only we had an administration in charge of this country that was willing to listen to strong, pragmatic, and popular approaches to policy, rather than one that is hellbent on theory, ideology, and national division. If only we had a Democratic opposition that was willing to support strong, pragmatic, and popular ideas on troop deployment in Iraq when those ideas arise from within their own ranks. Right now, I don't think we have either.
Murth'a troop deployment plan is incredibly popular. That really should be big news.
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