Gallup polls Americans on travel ban; health care bill; and President Trump’s approval ratings

NewsWorks Tonight host Dave Heller sits down for his weekly conversation with Gallup’s Frank Newport to talk about trends in U.S. opinion.

The Supreme Court of the United States this week agreed to let a limited version of President Trump’s travel ban go into effect, with full Court consideration next fall.

When Gallup last tested it in March, Americans polled tilted negative — 40 percent agreed with it, 47 percent disagreed.  But the partisan breakout is amazingly symmetrical.

The other big news of the week focuses on the Republican-controlled Senate’s effort to come up with their version of a new health care bill. Those efforts have so far not come to fruition, forcing postponement of the vote until after the July 4th recess. 

A review of available polling data on the GOP bill fails to find any results which show either a plurality or a majority supporting or favoring it.

Gallup’s newly-released polling asks Americans which party can best handle a list of specific issues and policy areas. Democrats have a clear advantage when it comes to their generic positioning on health care. In fact, along with the environment, discrimination against minority groups, and education, this is one of the Dem’s top strengths.

Republicans, on the other hand, retain positioning strength in the eyes of Americans in terms of defense, military, federal debt, and terrorism.

President Trump’s approval rating has settled into a range in the high 30s and with a few perturbations here and there, doesn’t move.  Over 80 percent of Republicans approve; single digits of Democrats approve.

Finally, on this July 4th weekend, it’s a good time to remember that — with all the nation’s problems — the U. S. still remains by far the top destination for people around the world who would want to leave their country and migrate somewhere else.