A new poll released Thursday adds to the growing body of evidence showing that Americans like President Joe Biden’s plan to go big on infrastructure spending.
A New York Times-Survey Monkey poll conducted from April 5 to 11 found that nearly two thirds (64%) of respondents said they approve of the American Jobs Plan, Biden’s proposal to spend $2.3 trillion on a wide variety of issues, ranging from highways and bridges to green energy and child care. Democrats were nearly universal in their approval (97%), and independents were also enthusiastic (72%). Republicans were strongly negative, however, with 70% saying they disapproved.
As other polls have indicated, some parts of the Biden proposal do win support from Republicans. Majorities of GOP respondents approved of the plan’s effort to improve ports, waterways and airports; to repair highways, bridges and major roads; and to make high-speed broadband internet available nationwide.
“Republicans don’t support the American Jobs Plan over all, but there are some elements of it that they actually love,” pollster Laura Wronski said.
Republican lawmakers plan to build opposition to the proposal by focusing on taxes, according to the Times’ Jim Tankersley, Ben Casselman and Emily Cochrane. “Republican leaders hope they can ultimately turn some voters, particularly independents, against the plan by attacking Mr. Biden’s proposal to fund it with tax increases on corporations,” they say.
Democrats counter that most people think businesses and the rich don’t pay their fair share and will be happy to support tax increases on them to help pay for major new public investments.
