The Wall Street Journal / NBC News Poll: Tax-Cut Victory May Prove Costly for Bush --- Many Americans Disapprove of the President's Approach to Economic Revival, Poll Shows
Washington -- PRESIDENT BUSH IS POISED for a tax-cut victory on Capitol Hill, but he is losing on the issue with the American people.</br></br>A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows the high-profile, postwar debate on tax policy in recent weeks has moved public opinion -- away from the White House position. Not only have Americans drifted away from Mr. Bush's cherished repeal of taxes on stock dividends, but majorities also assign tax cuts a lower priority than other measures to spur the economy and spending on health-care benefits.</br></br>"The tax cuts are clearly not viewed as the answer" to a weak economy, says Republican pollster Robert Teeter, who conducts the Journal/NBC poll with his Democratic counterpart Peter Hart. The president has "banked everything on selling the tax cut, but he hasn't sold it," Mr. Hart adds.</br></br>Mr. Bush continues to receive strong personal ratings, though his standing has receded after jumping after the U.S. victory over Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. Some 62% of Americans approve of his performance as president, while 31% disapprove, matching Mr. Bush's standing from just before the war. Roughly two-thirds of Americans credit the president with strong leadership qualities, fueling his robust leads over major Democratic candidates in potential 2004 election matchups.</br></br>That personal strength also is spilling over to benefit Mr. Bush's Republican Party. By 49% to 30%, Americans express positive feelings about the Republican Party, a stronger showing that the Democrats' 36% to 33%. The survey of 1,000 adults, conducted May 17 to 19, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.