2005-03-03 - 11:56 a.m.
U.S. National - AFP
Americans say Bush is out of touch, but are more optimistic about Iraq : poll
51 minutes ago U.S. National - AFP
WASHINGTON (AFP) - A majority of Americans say President George W. Bush (news - web sites) has a different set of priorities to theirs and oppose his plan to reform the pension system but are more optimistic about Iraq (news - web sites), according to a New York Times/CBS News poll.
AFP Photo
Bush's approval rating remained unchanged at 49 percent, while 53 percent felt efforts to bring order to Iraq were going well, up from 41 percent a month ago. Those who disapproved of Bush's Iraq policy fell from 55 to 50 percent, while those who approved rose from 40 to 45 percent.
Sixty-three percent of the 1,100 adults consulted Thursday through Monday said Bush had a different set of priorities on domestic issues and put jobs and health care ahead of reforming the Social Security (news - web sites) system.
Fifty-eight percent also felt they did not share the same foreign policy priorities as the president: 59 percent said the US should not try to change dictatorships to democracies and stay out of other countries' affairs.
Bush's proposal to let people invest part of their Social Security taxes in private accounts was considered a bad idea by 51 percent of those surveyed, and 63 percent they felt uneasy about his approach on pension reform.
Seventy-nine percent felt it was the government's responsibility to provide a decent standard of living for the elderly.
Fifty-four percent disapproved of Bush's handling of the US economy, with 60 percent disapproving of how he was dealing with the budget deficit.
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fetish of voting, fetish of spectacle- nothing's changed in iraq, more violence, more puppets, except there's been a bogus election
