You can understand why the White House would welcome a new Reuters poll finding more than three in five Americans say they’d “willingly” pay more at the gas pump to support Ukraine in its war with Russia. Of course, Americans also say they plan to exercise more, eat more vegetables and watch more documentaries on television.
Joe Biden is enjoying a rare, modest bump in his approval rating, perhaps off his State of the Union address and his steady handling of the Ukraine crisis. He’s even speculating that Democrats could yet keep the House come November. But as U.S. sanctions against Russia become more painful for the American public, Biden should ask himself a couple of difficult questions: When are Americans actually willing to sacrifice in an international conflict or crisis? And who gets punished politically when the cost of engagement hits home? CONTINUED
Jeff Greenfield, Politico Magazine
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