Just 27% of Americans oppose confirming Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court

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Far more Americans still support (42%) than oppose (27%) Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, according to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll. Nearly one-third of Americans (31%) say they’re not sure whether they support or oppose Jackson. ….

Right before President Biden nominated Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court, a full 57% of Republicans said she was “qualified” to serve when shown a summary of her attributes and experiences. But after two months of GOP attacks culminating in last week’s contentious Senate confirmation hearings, that number has plummeted to just 31% — meaning that nearly half of Republicans who considered Jackson qualified in February no longer do so today. CONTINUED

Andrew Romano, Yahoo News

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Voters Support Prohibiting Foreign Entities From Funding Ballot Measures

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A strong bipartisan majority of eight-in-ten voters favor Congress banning foreign individuals and entities from spending money to influence ballot initiatives. Support is robust across party affiliation (Republicans 77%, Democrats 84%, independents 74%) and congressional districts (very red districts 74%, very blue districts 80%).

While federal law prohibits foreign entities from spending money to influence elections, the Federal Elections Commission ruled last year that the law does not apply to ballot measures. States can prohibit foreign funding of ballot measures, and seven states have done so. Federal legislation prohibiting any foreign spending to influence ballot measures has been introduced by both Democrats and Republicans and is pending in Congress.

In an innovative survey of 2,702 registered voters by the Program for Public Consultation (PPC) at the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, respondents went through a “policymaking simulation” designed to put citizens in the shoes of policymakers. Voters were given a briefing on the proposal, asked to evaluate pro and con arguments and then to make their final recommendation. The content was reviewed in advance by experts from both sides for accuracy and balance and to ensure the best arguments were being presented. CONTINUED

Program for Public Consultation, School of Public Policy, University of Maryland

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Rock is America’s favorite music — just not among young people

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Rock music is still the most popular music in America — just not among young people. While it is the clear favorite among Americans overall, adults under the age of 30 rank it third, behind hip hop and pop music. …

Most people listen to music through digital streaming services, but radio comes in second, primarily because it is the way over half of seniors still listen to music. CONTINUED

Fred Backus, CBS News

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With upcoming abortion decision, Supreme Court could rattle midterm campaigns

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As the 2022 midterm elections draw nearer, a massive issue lurks in the wings with the potential to alter the terrain: the Supreme Court ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

The Dobbs ruling, expected this summer, centers on a Mississippi law that banned most abortions after 15 weeks of gestation. If the high court upholds the law, which many expect it will, or goes further to weaken or strike down the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, the nation would receive a major shock to the system. And the latest NBC News poll suggests the tremors could rattle the 2022 campaign. …

The latest NBC News poll asked how voters would feel about a candidate who favored overturning Roe and found a very negative response. Only 1 in 5 voters said they would be “more likely” to support a candidate who favored overturning Roe. By a margin of nearly 3 to 1, they said it would make them “less likely” to support a candidate. And when you look at some key voter blocs, the numbers swing even more strongly against candidates who want to overturn Roe. CONTINUED

Dante Chinni, NBC News

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Coronavirus is no longer a top issue for Americans. That’s good news for Republicans

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… For about two years, the popularity of the president (whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden) was tied to how he was handling the coronavirus pandemic. Then a funny thing happened. As Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths started falling over the last few months, Biden’s approval rating on the pandemic went up while his overall approval rating stayed flat.

Why?

A recent Gallup poll gives us good insight. Just 3% of Americans said the coronavirus or diseases are the top problem facing the country. CONTINUED

Harry Enten, CNN

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Biden’s Proposed Budget and American Public Opinion

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President Joe Biden has released the proposed Budget of the U.S. Government, Fiscal Year 2023. The budget document is 148 pages long. It presents a very lengthy list of proposed government spending initiatives, along with a discussion of the virtues and benefits of each. …

An important question from my vantage point is how well the administration’s proposals for spending the public’s money fit with the public’s views and priorities. This is a very complicated question to answer. The budget covers hundreds of areas of government spending involving every aspect of the nation’s existence, domestic and international. CONTINUED

Frank Newport, Gallup

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