Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Giuliani 26; Thompson 25
Republican Presidential Primary Contenders
| Jul. 26 | Jul. 12 | Jun. 28 | |
| Rudy Giuliani | 26% | 24% | 24% |
| Fred Thompson | 25% | 25% | 27% |
| Mitt Romney | 12% | 12% | 13% |
| John McCain | 10% | 12% | 12% |
| Mike Huckabee | 2% | 2% | 3% |
| Sam Brownback | -- | 2% | -- |
Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with approximately 600-650 likely Republican primary voters, conducted from Jul. 23 to Jul. 26, 2007. Margin of error is 4 per cent.
Hillary Has 19 pt. Lead Over Obama
Democratic Presidential Primary Contenders
| Jul. 26 | Jul. 12 | Jun. 28 | |
| Hillary Rodham Clinton | 42% | 38% | 39% |
| Barack Obama | 23% | 26% | 26% |
| John Edwards | 14% | 13% | 13% |
| Joe Biden | 3% | 2% | 3% |
| Bill Richardson | 2% | 3% | 5% |
| Dennis Kucinich | -- | 2% | 3% |
| Chris Dodd | -- | 2% | 1% |
Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with approximately 750-800 likely Democratic primary voters, conducted from Jul. 23 to Jul. 26, 2007. Margin of error is 4 per cent.
Italy: Prodi Government Unpopular
The government has been in place for one year. How would you rate its performance?
| Very positive | 5.2% |
| Moderately positive | 25.1% |
| Moderately negative | 25.4% |
| Very negative | 33.8% |
| Not sure | 10.5% |
Some people believe the current government is not leading a fluid and coherent policy due to internal tensions and differences between the parties that form the Union (Unione). Do you agree or disagree with this assessment?
| Agree | 76.7% |
| Disagree | 13.4% |
| Not sure | 9.9% |
Source: Arnaldo Ferrari Nasi / Il Giornale
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 750 Italian adults, conducted from Jul. 18 to Jul. 21, 2007. No margin of error was provided.
Conservatives Still Lead in Germany
What party would you support in Germany’s next federal election?
| Jul. 20 | Jul. 13 | Jul. 6 | |
| Christian-Democratic Union | 38% | 38% | 39% |
| Social Democratic Party (SPD) | 25% | 24% | 24% |
| Left Party (Linke) | 13% | 13% | 13% |
| Green Party (Grune) | 10% | 10% | 10% |
| Free Democratic Party (FDP) | 9% | 10% | 9% |
Source: Forsa / Stern / RTL
Methodology: Interviews with 2,501 German adults, conducted from Jul. 16 to Jul. 20, 2007. Margin of error is 2.5 per cent.
Venezuela, South Africa Considered Among Most Dangerous Nations
| Yes | No | |
| Venezuela | 84% | 16% |
| South Africa | 80% | 19% |
| Bolivia | 71% | 29% |
| Kenya | 69% | 31% |
| Ivory Coast | 65% | 35% |
| Brazil | 64% | 35% |
| Peru | 61% | 36% |
| Chile | 61% | 38% |
| Argentina | 56% | 43% |
| Nigeria | 51% | 46% |
| Mexico | 50% | 48% |
| Ethiopia | 50% | 50% |
| Uganda | 49% | 48% |
| Ghana | 47% | 51% |
| Senegal | 47% | 52% |
| Palestinian Ter. | 44% | 49% |
| Poland | 43% | 54% |
| Bulgaria | 42% | 54% |
| Pakistan | 40% | 57% |
| Morocco | 40% | 58% |
| Italy | 37% | 62% |
| Slovakia | 36% | 64% |
| Turkey | 36% | 60% |
| Japan | 36% | 61% |
| Czech Republic | 35% | 65% |
| Tanzania | 35% | 65% |
| Lebanon | 32% | 66% |
| Mali | 31% | 69% |
| South Korea | 30% | 66% |
| United States | 30% | 69% |
| Britain | 30% | 70% |
| Malaysia | 29% | 69% |
| France | 29% | 71% |
| Russia | 27% | 70% |
| Canada | 25% | 73% |
| Sweden | 25% | 74% |
| Spain | 24% | 74% |
| Israel | 24% | 70% |
| Bangladesh | 23% | 77% |
| Germany | 23% | 76% |
| Kuwait | 21% | 75% |
| China | 21% | 77% |
| Ukraine | 20% | 77% |
| Indonesia | 19% | 79% |
| India | 19% | 80% |
| Egypt | 16% | 82% |
| Jordan | 8% | 89% |
Source: Pew Global Attitudes Project
Methodology: Interviews with 45,239 adults in 46 countries and the Palestinian Territories, conducted from Apr. 9 to May 23, 2007. Margins of error range from 2 per cent to 4 per cent.
What Canadians Think of Labor Unions
How much influence do you think labour unions currently have in Canadian life?
| Too much influence | 48% |
| Too little influence | 14% |
| About the right amount | 22% |
| Not sure | 15% |
Thinking of labour unions, to what extent do you think each of the following should exercise their right to call a strike?
| Always / Most | Some of the time / Never | |
| Emergency workers | 14% | 82% |
| Health workers | 17% | 79% |
| Public school teachers | 21% | 75% |
| Public transit employees | 21% | 75% |
| Provincial civil servants | 21% | 73% |
| Federal civil servants | 21% | 73% |
| City and municipal workers | 22% | 74% |
| Telecommunications workers | 26% | 69% |
Do you think the Canada Labour Code should be amended to prohibit employers from hiring replacement workers to perform the duties of employees who are on strike or locked out?
| Yes | 35% |
| No | 50% |
| Not sure | 15% |
Source: Angus Reid Strategies
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,000 Canadian adults, conducted on Jul. 23 and Jul. 24, 2007. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.
Americans Would Vote For Independent
However, the numbers go down considerably when people find out it's Bloomberg that's the candidate.
Thinking of the presidential election next year, would you consider voting for an independent candidate who is not a Democrat or Republican?
Definitely would consider
22%
Probably would consider
44%
Probably would not consider
16%
Definitely would not consider
14%
Not sure
3%
Recently, Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City, changed his party affiliation from Republican to independent. There has been talk that he is considering a run for president as an independent. Would you vote for Michael Bloomberg if he was to run for president?
Definitely would vote for him
3%
Probably would vote for him
20%
Probably would not vote for him
39%
Definitely would not vote for him
28%
Not sure
11%
Source: Harris Interactive
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,010 American adults, conducted from Jul. 10 to Jul. 16, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Latest Abortion Poll
Do you think abortion should be legal in all cases, legal in most cases, illegal in most cases or illegal in all cases?
| Jul. 2007 | Feb. 2007 | Dec. 2005 | |
| Legal in all cases | 23% | 16% | 17% |
| Legal in most cases | 34% | 39% | 40% |
| Illegal in most cases | 28% | 31% | 27% |
| Illegal in all cases | 14% | 12% | 13% |
Source: TNS / Washington Post / ABC News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,125 American adults, conducted from Jul. 18 to Jul. 21, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
Americans Skeptical About Israeli/Palestinian Peace
Is it possible for both Israel and the Palestinian people to peacefully exist side-by-side in the Middle East?
| Yes | 27% |
| No | 50% |
| Not sure | 23% |
Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 American adults, conducted on Jul. 22 and Jul. 23, 2007. Margin of error is 4 per cent.
What Australians Think of Howard, Rudd
Here are some words other people have used to describe prime minister John Howard and opposition leader Kevin Rudd. Do you agree that each of the following describes Mr. Howard / Mr. Rudd?
| Howard | Rudd | |
| Experienced | 93% | 58% |
| Decisive and Strong | 80% | 74% |
| Understands the major issues | 73% | 79% |
| Has a vision for Australia | 74% | 78% |
| Cares for people | 67% | 82% |
| Arrogant | 63% | 37% |
| Likeable | 60% | 81% |
| In touch with the voters | 55% | 77% |
| Trustworthy | 53% | 69% |
Source: Newspoll / The Australian
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,202 Australian voters, conducted from Jul. 20 to Jul. 22, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
United Russia Crushing Other Parties in State Duma Poll
Which party would you vote for in the election to the State Duma?
| Jul. 22 | Jul. 15 | Jul. 8 | |
| United Russia (YR) | 46% | 46% | 50% |
| Communist Party (KPRF) | 7% | 7% | 8% |
| Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) | 5% | 6% | 6% |
| A Just Russia | 5% | 4% | 5% |
Source: All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center
Methodology: Interviews with 1,600 Russian adults, conducted on Jul. 21 and Jul. 22, 2007. Margin of error is 3.4 per cent.
Bush Approval Ratings Still at About 1/3
Still, the Democrat Congress wishes its ratings were that high.
a) Do you approve or disapprove of George W. Bush’s performance as president?
Jul. 21
Jun. 1
Apr. 12
Feb. 25
Approve
33%
35%
35%
36%
Disapprove
65%
62%
62%
62%
Source: TNS / Washington Post / ABC News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,125 American adults, conducted from Jul. 18 to Jul. 21, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.b) Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?
Jul. 22
May 20
Apr. 30
Apr. 1
Approve
33%
32%
35%
35%
Disapprove
63%
64%
62%
61%
Source: Financial Dynamics / Diageo/Hotline
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 801 registered American voters, conducted from Jul. 19 to Jul. 22, 2007. Margin of error is 3.5 per cent.c) Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?
Jul. 22
Jul. 17
Jun. 28
May 23
Approve
30%
29%
27%
30%
Disapprove
62%
64%
65%
63%
Source: New York Times / CBS News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 889 American adults, conducted from Jul. 20 to Jul. 22, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.d) Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?
Jul. 2007
Jun. 2007
May 2007
Apr. 2007
Approve
25%
27%
31%
33%
Disapprove
71%
67%
64%
62%
Source: American Research Group
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,100 American adults, conducted from Jul. 18 to Jul. 21, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Poll Shows Terrorist Continue to Erode America's Will to Fight Back
Which comes closer to your view?
| Jul. 2007 | Oct. 2006 | |
| In the long run, the U.S. will be safer from terrorism if it confronts the countries and groups that promote terrorism in the Middle East | 38% | 44% |
| In the long run, the U.S. will be safer from terrorism if it stays out of other countries’ affairs in the Middle East | 54% | 49% |
| Don’t know / No answer | 8% | 7% |
Do you think of the war with Iraq as part of the war on terrorism, or do you think of it as separate from the war on terrorism?
| Jul. 2007 | Oct. 2006 | Sept. 2006 | |
| Major part | 32% | 31% | 36% |
| Minor part | 14% | 12% | 13% |
| Not part | 46% | 52% | 46% |
Source: New York Times / CBS News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 889 American adults, conducted from Jul. 20 to Jul. 22, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
New Zealand: National Party Still Leads Labour
If an election were held today which party would receive your party vote?
| Jul. 15 | Jul. 1 | Jun. 17 | |
| National | 47% | 48.5% | 49.5% |
| Labour | 36% | 34% | 36% |
| Greens | 6.5% | 8.5% | 6.5% |
| New Zealand First | 5% | 2.5% | 3% |
| Maori Party | 2% | 2% | 1.5% |
| ACT | 1.5% | 1% | 1.5% |
| United Future | 1% | 1.5% | 0.5% |
| Progressives | 0.5% | 1% | 0.5% |
Source: Roy Morgan International
Methodology: Interviews with 844 New Zealand voters, conducted from Jul. 2 to Jul. 15, 2007. No margin of error was provided.
Most Russians Fear Terrorism
Do you fear that you or someone close to you will become a victim of terrorism?
| Yes, greatly | 21% |
| Yes, to a certain degree | 52% |
| Not much | 10% |
| Not at all | 14% |
| Hard to answer | 2% |
Can Russian authorities adequately protect the population from a terrorist attack?
| Yes, definitely | 6% |
| Yes, somewhat | 41% |
| No, somewhat | 33% |
| No, definitely | 9% |
| Hard to answer | 12% |
Source: Yury Levada Analytical Center
Methodology: Interviews to 1,600 Russian adults, conducted from Jul. 13 to Jul. 16, 2007. No margin of error was provided.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Danes Support Peacekeeping Missions
Do you support or oppose Denmark’s participation in international peacekeeping operations?
| Support | 57% |
| Oppose | 27% |
| Not sure | 16% |
Source: Gallup / Berlingske Tidende
Methodology: Interviews to 1,000 Danes, conducted in July 2007. No margin of error was provided.
Florida Primary: Giuliani & Thompson Close; Hillary With Huge Lead Over Obama
Election 2008: Florida Democratic Presidential Primary
| Hillary Rodham Clinton | 46% |
| Barack Obama | 15% |
| John Edwards | 13% |
| Some other candidate | 4% |
| Not sure | 21% |
Election 2008: Florida Republican Primary
| Rudy Giuliani | 22% |
| Fred Thompson | 21% |
| John McCain | 13% |
| Mitt Romney | 13% |
| Some other candidate | 4% |
| Not sure | 27% |
Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 490 likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire, and 457 likely Democratic primary voters in Florida, conducted on Jul. 18 and Jul. 19, 2007. Margin of error is 5 per cent.
UK: Labour Leads Conservatives by 7 pts.
If there were a general election tomorrow, which party would you vote for?
| Jul. 20 | Jun. 29 | Jun. 25 | |
| Labour | 40% | 38% | 36% |
| Conservative | 33% | 35% | 37% |
| Liberal Democrats | 15% | 15% | 12% |
| Other | 12% | 12% | 15% |
Source: YouGov / Daily Telegraph
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,664 British adults, conducted on Jul. 19 to Jul. 20, 2007. No margin of error was provided.
Giuliani Leads Hillary, Obama; Hillary, Obama Lead Thompson
Possible match-ups - 2008 U.S. presidential election
Giuliani v. Rodham Clinton
| Jul. 2007 | Jun. 2007 | Apr. 2007 | |
| Rudy Giuliani (R) | 49% | 46% | 51% |
| Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) | 46% | 50% | 46% |
Giuliani v. Obama
| Jul. 2007 | Jun. 2007 | |
| Rudy Giuliani (R) | 49% | 45% |
| Barack Obama (D) | 45% | 50% |
F. Thompson v. Rodham Clinton
| Jul. 2007 | |
| Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) | 48% |
| Fred Thompson (R) | 45% |
F. Thompson v. Obama
| Jul. 2007 | |
| Barack Obama (D) | 51% |
| Fred Thompson (R) | 40% |
Source: Gallup / USA Today
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 908 registered American voters, conducted from Jul. 12 to Jul. 15, 2007. Margin of error is 4 per cent.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
Presidential Race: Democrats Have $100 Million More Than GOP
Giuliani 33, Thompson 25
Suppose the race for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in 2008 comes down to a choice among John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, and Fred Thompson. Who would you most like to see nominated—McCain, Giuliani, Romney, Thompson, or would you rather see someone else nominated?
(Republican primary voters only)
| Jul. 2007 | Jun. 2007 | May 2007 | |
| Rudy Giuliani | 33% | 34% | 36% |
| Fred Thompson | 25% | 22% | n.a. |
| John McCain | 15% | 21% | 22% |
| Mitt Romney | 8% | 6% | 15% |
| Other / None | 11% | 7% | 21% |
| Undecided | 5% | 5% | 3% |
| Not sure | 3% | 5% | 3% |
Source: New York Times / CBS News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,554 American adults, conducted from Jul. 9 to Jul. 17, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
Russia: Putin's Puppet Party Dominates Polls
Imagine that parliamentary elections will be held again this Sunday. Which of the following parties would you vote for?
(Decided Voters)
| Jul. 2007 | Jun. 2007 | May 2007 | |
| United Russia (YR) | 54% | 52% | 57% |
| Communist Party (KPRF) | 19% | 17% | 18% |
| A Just Russia | 9% | 7% | 8% |
| Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) | 8% | 9% | 11% |
| Yabloko (Liberal) | 5% | 4% | 1% |
| Union of Right Forces (SPS) | 3% | 2% | 3% |
Source: Yury Levada Analytical Center
Methodology: Interviews to 1,600 Russian adults, conducted from Jul. 13 to Jul. 16, 2007. No margin of error was provided.
Germany: Conservative Coalition Remains Most Popular
What party would you support in Germany’s next federal election?
| Jul. 13 | Jul. 6 | Jun. 29 | |
| Christian-Democratic Union | 38% | 39% | 37% |
| Social Democratic Party (SPD) | 24% | 24% | 24% |
| Left Party (Linke) | 13% | 13% | 14% |
| Green Party (Grune) | 10% | 10% | 10% |
| Free Democratic Party (FDP) | 10% | 9% | 10% |
Source: Forsa / Stern / RTL
Methodology: Interviews with 2,501 German adults, conducted from Jul. 9 to Jul. 13, 2007. Margin of error is 2.5 per cent.
France: Sarkozy & Fillon Popular
a) Do you approve or disapprove of Nicolas Sarkozy’s performance as president?
| Jul. 2007 | Jun. 2007 | |
| Approve | 67% | 67% |
| Disapprove | 33% | 32% |
Do you approve or disapprove of François Fillon’s performance as prime minister?
| Jul. 2007 | Jun. 2007 | |
| Approve | 62% | 63% |
| Disapprove | 39% | 36% |
Source: Ifop / Paris Match
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 French adults, conducted on Jul. 5 and Jul. 6, 2007. No margin of error was provided.
b) Do you have a positive or negative opinion of Nicolas Sarkozy’s performance as president?
| Jul. 2007 | Jun. 2007 | |
| Positive | 67% | 63% |
| Negative | 27% | 33% |
Do you have a positive or negative opinion of François Fillon’s performance as prime minister?
| Jul. 2007 | Jun. 2007 | |
| Positive | 55% | 57% |
| Negative | 35% | 35% |
Source: LH2 / Libération
Methodology: Interviews with 1,000 French adults, conducted on Jul. 6 and Jul. 7, 2007. No margin of error was provided.
Trouble for Ukraine: Pro-Russian Party of Regions has Large Lead
Which of these parties would you vote for in the legislative election?
| Party of Regions (PR) | 33.3% |
| Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc | 16.9% |
| People’s Union-Our Ukraine (NS-NU) | 16.9% |
| Communist Party of Ukraine (KPU) | 5.7% |
| People’s Bloc | 1.6% |
| Socialist Party of Ukraine (SPU) | 1.3% |
Source: Democratic Initiatives Foundation
Methodology: Interviews with 2000 Ukrainian adults, conducted from Jun. 19 to Jul. 2, 2007. Margin of error is 2.2 per cent.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Michigan Anti-Voter-Fraud Law is Constitutional
Basically, the law states that you must either show photo ID or sign an affidavit if you are too impoverished to have a driver's license.
Poor liberals, that is putting such a hardship on their lazy, welfare-sucking voters. It's not fair! At least that's the jist of what the left-wing blogs are spitting.
For regular people, this is another victory. Now that voter fraud will be more difficult in Michigan, we can expect to see more Republican victories in the future.
Hillary Leads Obama by 12 pts.
If the 2008 Democratic primary for president were being held today, and the candidates were (the following), for whom would you vote?
| Jul. 2007 | May 2007 | Mar. 2007 | |
| Hillary Rodham Clinton | 37% | 39% | 32% |
| Barack Obama | 25% | 24% | 22% |
| John Edwards | 11% | 11% | 13% |
| Bill Richardson | 3% | 2% | 2% |
| Dennis Kucinich | 2% | 1% | 1% |
| Joe Biden | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| Other | 2% | 3% | -- |
| Not sure | 18% | 17% | 24% |
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 396 likely Democratic voters, conducted from Jul. 12 to Jul. 14, 2007. Margin of error is 4.9 per cent.
Thompson Leads Giuliani by 1 pt.
If the 2008 Republican primary for president were being held today, and the candidates were (the following), for whom would you vote?
| | Jul. 2007 | May 2007 | Mar. 2007 |
| Fred Thompson | 22% | 10% | 9% |
| Rudy Giuliani | 21% | 26% | 27% |
| Mitt Romney | 11% | 10% | 9% |
| John McCain | 9% | 13% | 13% |
| Mike Huckabee | 5% | 4% | 1% |
| Sam Brownback | 2% | 3% | -- |
| Duncan Hunter | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Ron Paul | 1% | -- | 3% |
| Tom Tancredo | -- | 1% | 1% |
| Tommy Thompson | -- | 1% | 1% |
| Other | 2% | 4% | -- |
| Not sure | 25% | 26% | 28% |
Source: Zogby International
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 364 likely Republican voters, conducted from Jul. 12 to Jul. 14, 2007. Margin of error is 5.2 per cent.
Gaza Palestinians Against Violent Hamas Power Grab
Is the Hamas takeover of Gaza last month right or wrong?
| Right | 31% |
| Wrong | 69% |
Source: Near East Consulting
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 408 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, conducted from Jul. 10 to Jul. 12, 2007. Margin of error is 4.8 per cent.
United Russia Party Has Huge Lead
Which party would you vote for in the election to the State Duma?
| Jul. 15 | Jul. 8 | Jul. 1 | |
| United Russia (YR) | 46% | 50% | 48% |
| Communist Party (KPRF) | 7% | 8% | 8% |
| Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) | 6% | 6% | 5% |
| A Just Russia | 4% | 5% | 5% |
Source: All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center
Methodology: Interviews with 1,600 Russian adults, conducted on Jul. 14 and Jul. 15, 2007. Margin of error is 3.4 per cent.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Hillary Leads Obama by 16 pts.
If the 2008 Democratic presidential primary or caucus in your state were being held today, and the candidates were (the following), for whom would you vote?
(Democrats and Democratic leaners only)
| Jul. 2007 | Jun. 2007 | Mar. 2007 | |
| Hillary Rodham Clinton | 36% | 33% | 38% |
| Barack Obama | 20% | 21% | 21% |
| Al Gore | 15% | 20% | 14% |
| John Edwards | 11% | 12% | 10% |
| Bill Richardson | 2% | 3% | 4% |
| Joe Biden | 2% | 1% | 1% |
| Chris Dodd | 1% | -- | -- |
| Other | -- | -- | -- |
| None | 4% | 3% | 5% |
| Not sure | 9% | 7% | 7% |
Source: Ipsos-Public Affairs / Associated Press
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 American adults, conducted from Jul. 9 to Jul. 11, 2007. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.
Giuliani 21, Thompson 19
If the 2008 Republican presidential primary or caucus in your state were being held today, and the candidates were (the following), for whom would you vote?
(Republicans and Republican leaners only)
| Jul. 2007 | Jun. 2007 | Mar. 2007 | |
| Rudy Giuliani | 21% | 27% | 35% |
| Fred Thompson | 19% | 17% | n.a. |
| John McCain | 15% | 19% | 22% |
| Mitt Romney | 11% | 10% | 8% |
| Newt Gingrich | 5% | 7% | 11% |
| Mike Huckabee | 3% | 2% | 3% |
| Sam Brownback | 1% | 3% | 3% |
| Other | 2% | 1% | -- |
| None | 8% | 4% | 6% |
| Not sure | 15% | 10% | 12% |
Source: Ipsos-Public Affairs / Associated Press
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 American adults, conducted from Jul. 9 to Jul. 11, 2007. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.
Poland: 2 Conservative Parties Fight for First
What party would you support in the next election?
| Jul. 2007 | Feb. 2007 | |
| Civic Platform (PO) | 31% | 30% |
| Law and Justice Party (PiS) | 24% | 28% |
| Left and Democracy (LiD) | 13% | 11% |
| Self-Defence of the Polish Republic (SRP) | 5% | 5% |
| League of Polish Families (LPR) | 3% | 2% |
| Peasant’s Party (PSL) | 3% | 2% |
Which coalition government would you prefer?
| Civic Platform (PO) and Law and Justice Party (PiS) | 35% |
| Civic Platform (PO) and Left and Democracy (LiD) | 28% |
| The current coalition: Law and Justice Party (PiS), | 18% |
| Other / Not sure | 19% |
Source: PBS DGA / Gazeta Wyborcza
Methodology: Interviews to 1,020 Polish adults, conducted on Jul. 7 and Jul. 8, 2007. Margin of error is 3.2 per cent.
Portugal: Socialists Lead by 11 pts.
What party would you vote for in a general election?
| Jun. 2007 | Jan. 2007 | |
| Socialist Party (PS) | 40% | 43% |
| Social Democratic Party (PSD) | 29% | 28% |
| Unitarian Democratic Coalition (CDU) | 10% | 9% |
| Leftist Bloc (BE) | 9% | 8% |
| Social Democratic Centre / | 7% | 8% |
Source: Marktest / Diario de Noticias / TSF
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 815 Portuguese adults, conducted from Jun. 19 to Jun. 22, 2007. Margin of error is 3.45 per cent.
Sizable Number of Americans Agree With Democrat Attempts to Censor Political Speech in Media and Web
Should the federal government require radio and television stations to offer equal amounts of conservative and liberal commentary?
| Yes | 41% |
| No | 41% |
| Not sure | 18% |
Should the federal government require websites that offer political commentary to present opposing points of view?
| Yes | 34% |
| No | 50% |
| Not sure | 6% |
Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 American adults, conducted on Jul. 11 and Jul. 12, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
New Hampshire: Romney, Hillary Lead
Election 2008: New Hampshire Republican Primary
| Mitt Romney | 27% |
| Rudy Giuliani | 20% |
| John McCain | 16% |
| Fred Thompson | 15% |
| Sam Brownback | 1% |
| Duncan Hunter | 1% |
| Tom Tancredo | 1% |
| Ron Paul | 1% |
| Mike Huckabee | 1% |
| Tommy Thompson | 1% |
Election 2008: New Hampshire Democratic Primary
| Hillary Rodham Clinton | 33% |
| Barack Obama | 25% |
| John Edwards | 15% |
| Bill Richardson | 7% |
| Chris Dodd | 3% |
| Joe Biden | 2% |
| Dennis Kucinich | 2% |
| Mike Gravel | 1% |
Source: Research 2000 / The Concord Monitor
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 400 likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire, and 400 likely Democratic primary voters in New Hampshire, conducted in July 2007. Margin of error is 5 per cent.
UK: Labour's Exploitation of Attempted Terror Attacks Gives Them a 7 pt. Lead
If there were to be a general election tomorrow, which party do you think you would vote for?
| Jul. 13 | Jul. 5 | Jun. 28 | |
| Labour | 40% | 37% | 39% |
| Conservative | 33% | 35% | 35% |
| Liberal Democrat | 19% | 17% | 18% |
| Other | 8% | 10% | 8% |
Source: ICM Research / Sunday Telegraph
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,003 British adults, conducted from Jul. 11 to Jul. 13, 2007. No margin of error was provided.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
10 Reasons for Enforcing Immigration Laws
10. It's time to raise the American standard of living. The real minimum wage has been declining for over a decade. Some advocate raising the minimum wage--but this would raise the price of unskilled labor above its free-market value. Mass unemployment would result.
Why has the market value of unskilled labor declined? For the same reason that all prices move: supply and demand. It's hard to change the demand side of the equation: You can't make anyone "need" an unskilled worker who doesn't need one already. For years, however, we have been artificially modifying the supply side by tolerating a massive influx of unskilled workers across our borders. We can reverse the trend by enforcing immigration laws. We won't need to raise the minimum wage. It will raise itself. Millions of Americans will be lifted out of poverty, and millions more from the lower middle class to prosperity.
9. We can immediately create millions of new jobs. Conservative estimates place the number of illegal aliens in the U.S. at 10,000,000. Taking into account minor children and the aged, that's still millions of people who are flooding our labor force. Remove them, and opportunities will abound for Americans.
There's a canard that says that illegals "take the jobs Americans don't want." This is a fallacy! There's no job an American can't or won't do for a living wage. It is a cruel joke on the American worker to allow illegals to depress wages for many jobs below poverty level, and then to mock Americans for being reluctant to participate in the poverty.
8. Breaking the law is crime. Lawbreakers are criminals. Out of deference to the PC crowd, many like to use the term "undocumented workers"--as if illegals were merely missing a piece of bureaucratic paperwork. By the same logic, we can call a car thief an "undocumented driver."
Our immigration laws exist for good reasons: to protect our safety, our national sovereignty, our standard of living, our health, and our culture. Those who break them may "want a better life for themselves," but then again, so do all that enrich themselves by disregarding the law.
Many people who wish to immigrate honestly are waiting patiently. Granting privileges like driver's licenses and social security cards to illegals is a slap in the face to law-abiding citizens and immigrants alike. It's like opening an express window to give titles and owner's cards to car thieves, while making legitimate owners stand in line!
7. Open borders threaten our safety. Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, two things have become clear. First, we have enemies, and they are vicious and without conscience. Second, our enemies obviously believe that an attack from within is more feasible than an attack from without.
Even before the horrid events of September 11, our immigration laws had the primary purpose of protecting us. The use of visas and passports allows our government to monitor, and control who enters our country, and why.
Few illegal aliens are terrorists. But it only takes one! More importantly, the creeping ideology of open borders--the (usually unspoken) belief that treating foreigners who enter our country differently than we treat our own citizens is somehow "discriminatory" or "racist"--is creating a terrible dilemma: Either we cease to monitor the aliens (and open ourselves up for even worse attacks), or we create the "equality" of the police state by casting aside constitutional protections for citizens and monitoring
everyone.
The more resolutely we protect our borders against threats from without, the safer, and freer, we can live within them.
6. We're a nation of 293 million; the Third World population is over six billion and growing by 85 million annually. Do the math.
Our country seems large, but its population is tiny compared to that of the Third World. China and India alone have seven times our population.
For whatever reasons, our society has succeeded in creating immense wealth where many others have created only poverty. An American welfare recipient would still be "rich" by the standards of most of the world.
One can't blame the citizens of countries who produce much less wealth per capita than we for wanting to reap the benefits our forefathers have sown for us. But if we open the borders, our island of productivity and prosperity will soon disappear beneath a flood of
Third World squalor.
5. American culture is worth preserving. Culture is more than operas and Shakespearean plays--it's the sum total of the customs, beliefs, artistic creations, attitudes, goals, and norms that make a society what it is. It is passed down, as a treasure, from grandparent to parent to child. In other words, culture is what gives us our identity.
Some advocate "multiculturalism"--creating a society in which multiple cultures exist side by side, and believe that "diversity"--having as many cultures as possible, with none dominant—is desirable.
The majority of the media elite believes that we need more multiculturalism and diversity; the majority of the population doesn't. Regardless of how anyone stands on this issue, the fact is that our society is already multicultural and diverse. Anyone who wishes to enjoy, and celebrate, the many cultures now coexisting in America need only visit any American city.
By contrast, genuine American culture--the Founding Fathers, the story of the pioneers and the winning of the West, the Pledge of Allegiance, Columbus Day, the Bill of Rights--is under constant assault. Some of our country's detractors vilify all that is traditionally American, while others would reduce our traditions to one more example of quaint folklore beside those of other nations.
Russian culture can be found in Russia, Mexican culture in Mexico, multiculturalism in any major city... but where can one find American culture? Only in a place where Americans treasure it, and lovingly transmit it from generation to generation. Immigration laws should ensure that those who seek to live permanently on American territory be willing to adopt and preserve its culture. And they are useless unless they are enforced.
4. It's not your father's immigration. Previous generations romanticized immigration. The images are still with us: Starry-eyed Irish, Italian, Jewish, and Polish arrives toting their bags and trunks onto shore at Ellis Island... The tablet at the base of the Statue of Liberty exhorting other nations to "Give me your tired, your poor..." The native-born American learning to love pizza and bagels.
That was then. This is now. Yes, there are still many people in foreign lands who harbor the "American Dream," and who seek to come here to realize it.
Millions of illegal aliens, however, have attitudes and motives very different from those of the immigrants in the fading black-and-white photos of yesteryear. It's not fashionable to speak the truth about this group. But the truth must be spoken.
What makes this new breed of "immigrants" different? To begin with, they're not "immigrating" at all--they're sneaking in. They don't have an "American dream" of building this country; rather, though still loyal to their home nations, they want to exploit ours economically. Many even dream of taking over regions of our country, and displacing us. There's already a word for this goal: Reconquista of Aztlan. If the members of this group don't intend to return home, yet have no loyalty to America, what should we call them? Certainly not "immigrants."
A ‘colonist’ is a better term. Today's colonists, like those of the past, want to build enclaves on American soil from which they can expand their own wealth and power, and that of their homeland, while drawing on the resources that were created by the native population. How can we welcome legitimate immigrants while keeping out colonists? By knowing who is coming here, and why, and only admitting those whose presence is in our country's best interests. In other words, by enforcing immigration laws.
3. It's an issue we can all come together on. Conservatives, traditionally, aim to preserve the valuable legacy of the past, and to protect freedom by limiting the power of government. Liberals seek to provide all citizens, even the most disadvantaged, with the opportunity to realize their full potential. Both have worthy goals, but often squabble over how to realize them.
Removing illegal aliens can give us the best of both worlds. We can preserve our traditional culture. And without resorting to costly and intrusive government programs, we can give our poor a genuine "hand up": as the glut of cheap labor dries up, those at the bottom rung of the economic ladder will suddenly find themselves able to climb higher without ruinous competition.
People of good will on the left and the right can only smile approvingly as the free market provides our unskilled and uneducated with a decent wage, and with a job market that welcomes instead of marginalizes them.
We can "live better than we did four years ago" and have a rebirth of national pride, as President Reagan wanted for us. And we can have a "New Deal" for our poor, a society where no American is left out, which were the ideals of President Roosevelt.
At last, we can come together. That's what patriotism is all about.
2. We either face tough issues now, or tougher ones later. Immigration issues are complex. We need a national debate--which, judging by the 2005 inaugural speech by Bush--isn't happening.
Most Americans, when confronted with the facts, want what they want now: strict enforcement of our immigration laws.
It won't be easy. We'll have to find workable ways to deport illegal aliens without creating unnecessary hardships for those who have broken our immigration laws, and without creating severe dislocations for the unscrupulous employers who have benefited from their presence. And, of course, we'll have to counter, with quiet reason, the voices of those who scream "discrimination" or "racism."
Some cringe at the challenges that await us.
These challenges, however, pale in comparison to those that future generations will face if we fail to act. Imagine an overcrowded, impoverished America with shrinking wages and expanding burdens on the social service system. Imagine an America where millions of Americans have been driven out of their neighborhoods by throngs of foreign colonists who neither speak our language nor understand the culture that created American prosperity--but who deeply resent the poverty that inevitably results from their own unwillingness, or inability, to live as true Americans.
Will Americans be forced to tax away their own shriveling wealth, and to transfer it to the aliens within our borders, if they wish to appease the colonists' anger? Will the shrinking American middle class merge with the alien underclass to form a new "peasant culture" while a tiny American elite trembles behind the walls of heavily policed gated communities? Or will full-scale cultural and racial war break out? None of these possibilities is appealing. Nonetheless, a society is a reflection of the population that comprises it. If we, as an advanced society with a low birthrate, continue to import a Third World population with a high birthrate, we will become a Third World society, and will face the problems, which other Third World societies face as well.
Isn't it better to face the issue of illegal immigration now--and to do something about it?
... and the number one reason is:
1. We owe it to our kids and grandkids. Our children and grandchildren will marvel at the digitized archives of the TV shows of the 1950s and 1960s. They'll see a prosperous, free, united America-- the envy of the world, a place anyone would be happy and proud to call home. This, they'll realize, was the legacy our grandparents and parents left us, the American citizens of the early 21st century.
How will the America we leave to our children stack up against the America our parents left to us? What will future generations think of us? Will we be known as the preservers and expanders of the beautiful legacy, or as its destroyers? By our actions or inactions, we're deciding which it will be. Right now.
Garrison gave us the most powerful and compelling reasons I have seen for each one of us to take actions for preserving our country. It behooves each of you to use your computer, telephone, radio station, TV station, letters to the editor of your newspaper and calls to every senator and congressman every week relentlessly to gain national focus on this immigration invasion. Democracy is not a spectator sport. This nation is in danger of becoming a Third World nightmare with all the corruption, disease, illiteracy, violence and balkanization known all over the world. We need a 10-year moratorium on all immigration to catch our collective breath and we need deportation of over 15 million illegal aliens in a slow and orderly fashion.
Giuliani 30, Thompson 20, McCain 16
| Jul. 8 | Jun. 14 | Jun. 3 | |
| Rudy Giuliani | 30% | 28% | 32% |
| Fred Thompson | 20% | 19% | 11% |
| John McCain | 16% | 18% | 19% |
| Mitt Romney | 9% | 7% | 12% |
| Newt Gingrich | 6% | 7% | 8% |
| Mike Huckabee | 2% | 3% | 2% |
| Tom Tancredo | 2% | -- | 2% |
| Duncan Hunter | 2% | 2% | 1% |
| Sam Brownback | 1% | 2% | 1% |
| Tommy Thompson | 1% | 2% | 1% |
| Chuck Hagel | 1% | 1% | -- |
| Jim Gilmore | -- | 1% | -- |
| Ron Paul | -- | 2% | 1% |
| Other | -- | -- | 1% |
| None | -- | -- | 3% |
| No opinion | 9% | 8% | 6% |
Source: Gallup / USA Today
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 394 Republicans and Republican leaners, conducted from Jul. 6 to Jul. 8, 2007. Margin of error is 5 per cent.
Australia: Rudd Leads Howard by 1 pt.
Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way John Howard is doing his job as prime minister?
| Jul. 8 | Jun. 17 | May 27 | |
| Satisfied | 46% | 45% | 44% |
| Dissatisfied | 44% | 45% | 47% |
Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way Kevin Rudd is doing his job as leader of the opposition?
| Jul. 8 | Jun. 17 | May 27 | |
| Satisfied | 60% | 62% | 64% |
| Dissatisfied | 21% | 22% | 17% |
Who do you think would make the better prime minister?
| Jul. 8 | Jun. 17 | May 27 | |
| Kevin Rudd (ALP) | 43% | 46% | 47% |
| John Howard (Lib.) | 42% | 40% | 38% |
Source: Newspoll / The Australian
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,168 Australian voters, conducted from Jul. 6 to Jul. 8, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Hungary: Fidesz Has Enormous Lead Over Socialists
If an election were held today, what party would you support?
(Decided Voters)
| Jun. | Apr. | Mar. | |
| Hungarian Citizens Party (Fidesz) | 60% | 57% | 55% |
| Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) | 29% | 31% | 30% |
| Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) | 7% | 5% | 7% |
| Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) | 3% | 3% | 2% |
Source: Gallup Hungary
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,024 Hungarian voters, conducted from Jun. 19 to Jun. 24, 2007. Margin of error is 3.2 per cent.
Russia Doesn't Want Kasparov as President
Garry Kasparov may possibly run for Russian president in the 2008 presidential elections. Would you be likely or unlikely to vote for Garry Kasparov?
| Likely | 10% |
| Unlikely | 69% |
| Hard to answer | 21% |
Source: Public Opinion Foundation
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,500 Russian adults, conducted on Jun. 23 and Jun. 24, 2007. Margin of error is 3.6 per cent.
What Kind of President is America Ready for?
Do you think America is ready to elect...
| Yes | No | Not sure | |
| A Mormon president | 66% | 27% | 7% |
| An African-American president | 59% | 30% | 11% |
| A woman president | 58% | 32% | 10% |
| A Hispanic president | 39% | 48% | 13% |
If your party nominated (the following) for president, would you vote for that person if (he or she) were qualified for the job?
| Yes | No | Not sure | |
| An African-American president | 92% | 4% | 4% |
| A woman president | 86% | 9% | 5% |
| A Hispanic president | 81% | 14% | 5% |
| A Mormon president | 66% | 27% | 7% |
Source: Princeton Survey Research Associates / Newsweek
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,001 American adults, conducted on Jul. 2 and Jul. 3, 2007. Margin of error is 4 per cent.
Brazilians Like Lula
How would you rate the performance of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as president?
| Jul. 2007 | Apr. 2007 | Dec. 2006 | |
| Good / Very Good | 50% | 49% | 57% |
| Fair | 33% | 33% | 28% |
| Bad / Very Bad | 16% | 16% | 13% |
Source: Ibope
Methodology: Interviews with 2,002 Brazilian adults, conducted from Jun. 28 to Jul. 1, 2007. Margin of error is 2.2 per cent.
Israelis Say No to Compensating Arab 'Refugees'
Regardless of what you think regarding the refugee issue or the "right of return", do you think Israel is obligated to compensate Arab refugees who left in 1948?
| Yes | 24% |
| No | 68% |
| Not sure | 8% |
Source: The Friedrich Naumann Foundation
Methodology: Interviews with 609 Israeli adults, conducted from May 28 to May 30, 2007. Margin of error is 4.1 per cent.
Australia: Labor Party Has Large Lead
What party would you vote for in the next election to the House of Representatives?
| Jul. 1 | Jun. 17 | Jun. 3 | |
| Australian Labor Party | 50.5% | 48% | 51% |
| Coalition (Liberal / National) | 36% | 37% | 38% |
| Australian Greens | 7% | 6.5% | 5.5% |
| Family First | 1.5% | 2% | 1.5% |
| One Nation | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Australian Democrats | 0.5% | 1.5% | 0.5% |
Two-Party Preferred Vote
| Jul. 1 | Jun. 17 | Jun. 3 | |
| Australian Labor Party | 59% | 58.5% | 58% |
| Coalition (Liberal / National) | 41% | 41.5% | 42% |
Source: Roy Morgan International
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,690 Australian voters, conducted on Jun. 23, Jun. 24, Jun. 30 and Jul. 1, 2007. No margin of error was provided.