Plan to terminate Title 42 order is the Biden admin's most unpopular move so far, according to Morning Consult



Politicians on both sides of the political aisle have publicly opposed the Biden administration's plan to nix a Title 42 order, and a recent Morning Consult/Politico survey indicates that the move, which is opposed by a majority of registered voters, marks the administration's most unpopular policy yet.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week that the termination of the order will go into effect on May 23.

The move could result in an even larger influx of migrants along America's southern border.

The poll, which was conducted from April 1 to April 4, found that while 42% strongly oppose the Biden administration's plan to lift the border controls put in place by the Trump administration in 2020, 13% somewhat oppose the move, 18% somewhat support it, and just 16% strongly support it.

According to Morning Consult, 56% of registered voters are against the move, which represents "the largest backlash against a Biden administration policy among dozens tracked by Morning Consult since January 2021."

New @MorningConsult/@politico survey shows 56% of voters oppose Biden's plan to sunset Title 42 border controls, making it his most unpopular decision yet.\n\nRead more from me here: https://morningconsult.com/2022/04/06/biden-approval-rating-immigration-title-42/\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/x0XIswGpBE
— Cameron Easley (@Cameron Easley) 1649245662

Sen. Joe Manchin has panned the plan as a "frightening decision" and warned that it will lead to even more migrants flooding the southern border.

"Title 42 has been an essential tool in combatting the spread of COVID-19 and controlling the influx of migrants at our southern border," Manchin said in a statement. "We are already facing an unprecedented increase in migrants this year, and that will only get worse if the Administration ends the Title 42 policy. We are nowhere near prepared to deal with that influx. Until we have comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform that commits to securing our borders and providing a pathway to citizenship for qualified immigrants, Title 42 must stay in place."

Americans are already suffering under the financial burden caused by inflation and high gas prices, issues which, if they persist, will represent significant liabilities for Democrats heading into the midterm elections later this year.

If a surge of migrants inundates the border after the Biden administration lifts the Title 42 order next month, the situation will likely serve as an added drag on Democrats during the election cycle — and Biden, who has already had lackluster job approval ratings for some time, could see his ratings slip even farther if the U.S. experiences a spike in migrants at the border.

The public safety implications of border security are manifest: U.S. Customs and Border Protection press releases frequently highlight the apprehension of criminals, including sex offenders.

Nearly 2 million workers turned down jobs for unemployment benefits, poll finds



Adding weight to the theory that extended virus-related unemployment benefits have directly contributed to a labor shortage, a survey published this week found that almost 2 million workers turned down job offers during the pandemic in favor of collecting unemployment.

What are the details?

The Morning Consult reported Wednesday that an estimated 1.8 million Americans rejected job offers over the past year due specifically to the generosity of federal and state unemployment benefits — which ranged from $300-$900 a week over the course of the pandemic.

The results were based on a survey conducted June 22-25 of a representative sample of 5,000 U.S. adults who are actively collecting unemployment.

Unemployment benefits contributed to more than 1 in 10 unemployment insurance recipients rejecting a job offer duri… https://t.co/fuMeBMswWF

— Morning Consult (@MorningConsult) 1626290874.0

Of the 5,000 respondents surveyed, just under one-third of them reported turning down a job offer during the pandemic. Then, responding to a follow-up question, 45% of those who turned down a job offer said they did so due to the generosity of the unemployment benefits.

In all, Morning Consult extrapolated that of the 14.1 million Americans who received unemployment the week ending June 19, 13% — or 1.8 million — turned down jobs in favor of unemployment.

Others cited child care obligations (13.8%), health limitations (13%), and the pandemic (13%) generally as reasons for turning down jobs.

Why does it matter?

Following less-than-stellar jobs reports in April and May, 26 states decided to cut their statewide unemployment benefits early hoping to incentivize Americans to return to the workforce.

But President Joe Biden in May argued that the benefits were not the reason for the labor shortage, insisting that anyone collecting unemployment insurance was liable to lose their benefits should they turn down a job. That evidently was not entirely true.

Emergency federal unemployment benefits offered and later extended under coronavirus relief packages are officially set to expire in September. But economists with Morning Consult warned that the policy's termination doesn't necessarily mean millions of people will automatically reenter the labor market.

"Getting people to move from relying on unemployment insurance to wage income doesn't just automatically happen," the group's chief economist, John Leer, told Axios. "There's going to be some searching and matching frictions at work."

Those workers will need to, however, if America's sluggish economy is to make a full recovery from the pandemic. Yet even if all 1.8 million do reenter the workforce, the U.S. economy will still be roughly 4.7 million jobs short of where it was in February 2020 before the pandemic started.

Vaccinated people far less likely to engage in public activities than unvaccinated Americans: poll



Vaccinated Americans are far less likely to engage in public activities than people who have not yet received the coronavirus vaccine, according to a new Morning Consult poll.

A survey of 879 vaccinated American adults and 1,321 unvaccinated adults found that those who were not inoculated against COVID-19 were much more likely to want to return to normal and engage in public activities. Morning Consult gauged the interest in both groups in returning to public activities, including going to the gym, taking a train, going to a party, attending a concert, going to a wedding, traveling abroad, and going on a cruise. In every possible scenario, the respondents that were not vaccinated were more inclined to participate in these public activities and events.

According to the poll, 43% of unvaccinated people felt it was safe to go to the gym versus only 27% of vaccinated Americans given the current state of the coronavirus pandemic. There were 42% of unvaccinated respondents who would attend a concert compared to 23% of vaccinated. When it comes to attending a sporting event, 42% of unvaccinated are ready to go to the ballpark, and 29% of vaccinated would go to the stadium to support their favorite sports team. There were 54% of vaccinated participants ready to get back to dating, while 43% of respondents were prepared to look for love despite being vaccinated for COVID-19. Speaking of love, there were 50% of unvaccinated people who felt comfortable attending a wedding, but just 38% of Americans who are vaccinated would go to a wedding. The poll found that 45% of unvaccinated people would attend a religious gathering versus 35% of those who were vaccinated.

The unvaccinated Americans were most comfortable with dining at a restaurant (63%), shopping at a mall (60%), and renting a car (58%).

When it comes to travel, 43% unvaccinated said they would take a bus, and just 24% for the inoculated group. The survey said 31% of vaccinated felt safe enough to travel abroad, compared to a mere 15% of the vaccinated respondents. When it comes to flying, 40% of the unvaccinated people were ready for air travel and 31% of vaccinated Americans wanted to go on an airplane. A whopping 37% of unvaccinated respondents said they would be comfortable going on a cruise, while only 17% of vaccinated would travel on a cruise line.

The survey conducted from May 6-8 also discovered that 88% of vaccinated people said COVID-19 poses a "severe" or "moderate" health risk in the United States, compared with 70% of unvaccinated respondents.

Many Vaccinated Americans Are Still Uncomfortable Returning to Public Activities. The U.S. Economy Needs Them… https://t.co/4v45FbDJPZ

— Morning Consult (@MorningConsult) 1620820802.0

Survey: 3 in 5 unvaccinated Americans would get their shots if they were paid a 'big financial incentive'



Nearly three in five unvaccinated Americans said a big financial incentive would persuade them to get a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a new survey.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday about 154 million people in the United States have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, about 58 percent of U.S. adults. That number is shy of the goal of 70 percent that President Joe Biden set for May 4.

To incentivize those who have not yet been vaccinated to get the shot, several states are adopting programs offering some form of award for getting vaccinated. The state of West Virginia is handing out $100 savings bonds to anyone ages 16-35 who gets a vaccine. The governor of Ohio just announced a million-dollar lottery drawing for vaccinated voters in his state. In New Jersey and Connecticut, anyone who gets a vaccine also gets a free beer. And Maryland is offering $100 payments to state employees who get vaccinated.

Though some critics are skeptical that these financial incentives will actually encourage people to get vaccinated, a Morning Consult survey released Thursday found some vaccination incentives could work.

For example, 57 percent of unvaccinated adults said a big cash payment, such as a $1,000 savings bond, would persuade them to get COVID-19 shots. Another 43 percent said they'd probably or definitely get vaccinated for a smaller $50 bond. Adult respondents under age 45 were more likely to say a big financial incentive would incentivize them to get their vaccines.

Nearly 3 in 5 Unvaccinated Adults Say a Big Financial Incentive Would Sway Them to Get a COVID-19 Shot… https://t.co/5JTtX5UxKd

— Morning Consult (@MorningConsult) 1620903600.0

The number-one reason given by survey respondents for their vaccine hesitancy was concerns over the "long term effects," 44% said. Another 32% indicated they were concerned about the "short term" effects of the vaccine.

The second-most cited reason for vaccine hesitancy, given by 39% of respondents, is that there is too much "conflicting information" about the vaccines for them to feel comfortable getting shots right now.

While there is no nationwide requirement for adults to be vaccinated, the survey suggests a requirement to be vaccinated might work as well as a financial incentive: 57% of unvaccinated Americans said they'd get a COVID-19 shot if they were required to do so for work or to shop in-person; 48% said they'd get the vaccine if it was required to dine indoors at a restaurant; and 45% said they'd get vaccinated in order to fly domestically.

The survey also suggests steps taken to make getting the vaccine more convenient might also convince more people to take advantage of the opportunity. Nearly half of unvaccinated adults said they would "probably or definitely get a shot" if it was provided by their employer at the workplace; if they could get it from their primary care doctor during a checkup; or if they didn't need an appointment for a walk-up vaccination site that opened near their workplace.

Poll: 5 of Biden's 7 most unpopular executive orders are on immigration



President Joe Biden has not even held office for a full month but has already taken more than 40 executive actions that, according to a new Morning Consult poll, are mostly popular with one outstanding exception. That exception is Biden's executive order to greatly expand the number of refugees admitted to the United States.

According to the survey, Biden's refugee order is the only executive action he's taken that is downright unpopular, with 48% of voters opposing his plan to allow 110,000 more refugees to seek safe haven in the United States in the upcoming fiscal year and 39% of voters supporting the action.

Under President Donald Trump's administration, refugee admittance was capped at a historic low of 15,000 people, whereas Biden has increased the cap to a historic high of 125,000 refugees.

Biden's refugee order was the least popular of 28 executive actions tracked by Morning Consult since Inauguration Day.

New from me: @MorningConsult has polled 28 executive actions issued by @POTUS since Jan. 20. His move to expand t… https://t.co/fAxaS7KzZu
— Cameron Easley (@Cameron Easley)1612960443.0

"The finding from the latest survey, conducted Feb. 5-7 among 1,986 registered voters with a margin of error of 2 percentage points, reinforces the notion that immigration will be tricky political territory for the president," Cameron Easley writes for Morning Consult. "Orders pertaining to immigration and immigrant rights constitute five of his seven least popular actions among voters, and are particularly animating for Republicans."

Breaking down the numbers on Biden's refugee order shows 3 in 5 Republican voters "strongly oppose" raising the refugee cap to 125,000 people. A similar number of Republican voters strongly opposed Biden ending construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall and also opposed ending the immigration and travel restrictions from Muslim-majority countries flagged as hotbeds of terrorism.

Republicans are most strongly opposed (66%) to the Biden administration's decision to reverse Trump's policy and count illegal immigrants in the census.

The other two most unpopular Biden executive orders have to do with energy policy. The cancelation of the Keystone XL Pipeline is Biden's third-most unpopular order, with 42% of voters supporting the decision to kill the pipeline project, 28% opposed, and 20% unsure. Biden's order to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies has 45% support, 34% opposition, and 21% unsure.

Biden's most popular executive action was his order mandating that people wear masks on public transit such as planes, trains, and buses to protect against the spread of the coronavirus. The survey found that 78% of voters supported the mask mandate and just 15% opposed it. Biden's second-most popular executive order was a similar mask mandate on federal property.

New poll shows growing support for Amy Coney Barrett's SCOTUS confirmation, even among Democrats



Support to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court is growing, even among Democrats, a new Morning Consult/Politico poll shows.

While still shy of a majority, nearly half of voters, 46%, surveyed from Oct. 2-4 said the Senate should confirm Barrett — a 9-point increase since President Donald Trump announced her nomination on Sept. 26.

Voters back confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett by double-digit margin in new @MorningConsult poll:… https://t.co/uMxnXjpXrq
— John McCormack (@John McCormack)1602074589.0

Support for Barrett's confirmation has grown 71% among Democrats, from 14% supporting her confirmation in September to 24% — nearly 1 in 4 Democrats — supporting Barrett now.

Barrett's support is up among independents as well, with 36% now supporting her confirmation compared to 28% in September — a 29% jump.

"Democrats are losing the Supreme Court messaging war," senior reporter Eli Yokley wrote for Morning Consult.

"The share of voters who said the Senate should reject her nomination dropped 3 points, to 31 percent, from polling conducted on Sept. 26," Yokley noted. "Both polls were conducted among roughly 2,000 registered voters each, with 2-point margins of error."

Additionally, more voters now think Barrett should be confirmed as soon as possible by the Senate, regardless of who wins the election.

On Sept. 26, 40% of voters said Barrett should be confirmed only if President Donald Trump wins re-election. Now, 37% think Barrett should be confirmed only if Trump wins, and 43% say she should be confirmed regardless of who wins the election in November.

"The numbers mark an even larger shift from polling conducted before Barrett's nomination, when half of voters said the winner of the presidential election should get to pick Ruth Bader Ginsburg's replacement and 37 percent said Trump should get to make the pick, regardless of the outcome in November. That poll did not mention Barrett's name," Yokley wrote.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to begin confirmation hearings for Barrett's nomination on Monday. Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced the hearings will last through Thursday, Oct. 15.

Fox News reported that Senate staffers are working to ensure the hearings are conducted safely and in accordance with public health recommendations after two GOP senators on the Judiciary Committee, Mike Lee (Utah) and Thom Tillis (N.C.), tested positive for the coronavirus last week.

"Committee staff is making sure that there are PPE and sanitary stations, and there will be strict limits on people allowed into the hearing room among other precautions," Fox News reported.

Members of the Senate will have the option to participate in the confirmation hearings virtually, though Chairman Graham will appear in person.