Two-Thirds of Independents Oppose Biden’s $3.5 Trillion Spending Plan: CNN

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A majority of independents oppose President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion spending proposal, according to a CNN survey, while most Democrats want a plan that would spend an even greater figure.

Thirty-two percent of independents oppose the bill entirely, according to the network’s poll released Wednesday, while 32 percent would prefer a smaller bill, and another 36 percent prefer something larger.

The number contrasted sharply with support expressed by Democrats, of whom 75 percent said they wanted to see a bill that spent more. Fifty-five percent of Republicans said they wanted to see Congress reject Biden’s proposal in its entirety, along with 29 percent of Americans overall. Thirty percent of Americans said they preferred a cheaper version.

House Democrats were aligned with Biden on the plan, but Congress is expected to narrow it down to a figure closer to $2 trillion due to objections from Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin (WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ). The proposal as it is outlined would include spending on initiatives Democrats favor, such as a $10 billion “environmental justice” fund for colleges and universities. But it also includes many policy initiatives, such as a provision that would require pre-kindergarten staff to hold college degrees.

Respondents in CNN’s poll expressed significantly more support for Biden than those in other surveys conducted in recent weeks, with 50 percent saying they approved of his job performance and 49 percent saying they disapproved. A Gallup poll conducted in September found just 43 percent saying they approved, while a Quinnipiac poll conducted this month found his approval rating at 38 percent.

CNN’s poll included 1,000 adults polled online between Oct. 7-11, meaning they were not necessarily registered voters. The margin of error was plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.

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