Contrary to the media’s coverage of the “War on Terror”, just 23% belong to Anti-War Movement This is from the Rasmussen Reports.
23% Belong to Anti-War Movement
September 28, 2005–Twenty-three percent (23%) of Americans consider themselves part of the anti-War movement. A Rasmussen Reports survey found that 61% say they are not part of that movement. Sixteen percent (16%) are not sure.
Thirty-six percent (36%) of Democrats say they’re part of the anti-War movement while 40% are not.
Just 7% of Republicans identify themselves as part of that movement along with 26% of those not affiliated with either major party. Eighty-four percent (84%) of Republicans and 55% of unaffiliateds say they are not part of the movement.
Earlier surveys have found that 38% of Americans favor bringing home U.S. troops from Iraq at this time. The gap between this number and the 23% who are part of the anti-War movement may have to do with perceptions of the movement on other issues.
Overall, 57% of Americans believe most members of the anti-War movement are politically liberal. Among those who are not part of that movement, 68% see its members as liberal. This includes 44% who believe most members of the anti-War movement are very liberal.
In a nation where only only one-out-of-every-five people see themselves as politically liberal, this perception of the movement limits its appeal
The single most distinguishing characteristic of the anti-War movement is a dislike of President Bush. Ninety-one percent (91%) of those in the movement disapprove of the way the President is doing his job. That figure includes 83% who strongly disapprove of the President.
Among those who are not part of the anti-War movement, 64% give the President their Approval.
Just 9% of those in the anti-War movement say the U.S. economy is in good or excellent shape. Fifty-six percent (56%) say it’s in poor shape.
Among those who are not part of the movement, 42% rate the economy as good or excellent and 24% say poor. (Rasmussen Reports measures perceptions of the economy on a daily basis.)
Fifty-two percent (52%) of those in the anti-War movement have a favorable opinion of the United States. Thirty percent (30%) have an unfavorable opinion.
Among those who are not part of the movement, 84% have a favorable opinion of the United States and 10% have an unfavorable view.
Related surveys have found that Americans are divided as to whether the War in Iraq is part of the War on Terror or a distraction from it. Just 40% of Americans now believe that the U.S. and its allies are winning the War on Terror.
Rasmussen Reports is an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information.
Rasmussen Reports was the nation’s most accurate polling firm during the Presidential election and the only one to project both Bush and Kerry’s vote total within half a percentage point of the actual outcome.
During Election 2004, RasmussenReports.com was also the top-ranked public opinion research site on the web. We had twice as many visitors as our nearest competitor and nearly as many as all competitors combined.
Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an independent pollster for more than a decade.
